The 2025 Champions Trophy was supposed to be a historic moment for Pakistan cricket- its first global tournament in 29 years.

Instead, it turned into an absolute disaster for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which suffered a massive 85% financial loss after spending a jaw-dropping INR 869 crore ($98 million) on just one completed home game.

Where Did the Money?

PCB went all out, splurging PKR 18 billion ($58 million) on upgrading Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi stadiums- 50% more than planned. Another $40 million was poured into event prep.

But what did they get in return? Just $6 million from ticket sales and sponsorships. Ouch.

Pakistan only got to play one full game at home against New Zealand in Lahore. Their match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi didn't even see a toss. And just like that, three out of eight home games were completely washed out.

The worst part? The players paid the price. Match fees in the National T20 Championship were slashed by 90%, and payments for reserve players dropped by 87.5%.

Cricketers went from chilling in 5-star hotels to staying in budget accommodations, while PCB executives continued pocketing fat paychecks.

After major backlash, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stepped in, bumping match fees from ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 but that's still ₹10,000 less than last year.

Can PCB bounce back? Or is this just the start of a bigger cricketing crisis?