Pakistan cricket in turmoil! Audit exposes crores in corruption and overpayments

NEW DELHI: The Auditor General of Pakistan has flagged major financial irregularities amounting to millions of rupees within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), including unauthorised appointments and excess payments to match officials. The audit report points to instances of corruption during 2023, when the board was under the leadership of Mohsin Naqvi and Zaka Ashraf.Among the key findings is the misappropriation of 63.39 million Pakistani rupees paid to police for providing meals during international match security duties. The report also highlights the unauthorized hiring of three under-16 coaches at the Karachi High Performance Centre, which resulted in salary payouts of 5.4 million rupees.Further, match officials were overpaid by 3.9 million rupees, raising concerns around potential match-fixing. The report also questions the hiring of a Media Director with a hefty monthly salary of 900,000 rupees.Additionally, the audit notes that ticketing contracts were awarded without following proper competitive bidding procedures. These revelations have further strained the PCB’s already fragile administrative reputation.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi—who concurrently serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister—is now under heightened scrutiny. However, his ministerial position grants him certain legal protections.The board has already come under fire following Pakistan's early exit from the Champions Trophy, which they hosted. Fans and officials have also criticised the frequent changes in coaching staff and team leadership over the past two years.These audit findings add to the growing list of controversies surrounding the PCB and offer detailed evidence of financial mismanagement within the country's cricket administration.