PCB at crossroads: Risk losing PKR 454 crore or swallow pride after India’s insult at Asia Cup

Pakistan have also cancelled their pre-match press conference for the UAE game but continue to practice at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a tough decision to make. They will either lose all of their annual earnings from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), USD 16 million (PKR 454 crore or INR 140 crore), by forfeiting the Pakistan vs UAE match, or keep the money but swallow their pride after Team India humiliated them at the Asia Cup 2025.

In the aftermath of the handshake gate, PCB had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to remove match referee Andy Pycroft of the India vs Pakistan game from the Asia Cup 2025 panel of officials. They’d claimed that Pycroft was biased towards India. However, the ICC doesn’t think. They feel all that Pycroft did was inform Pakistan about India’s decision.

The PCB had threatened to pull out of the Asia Cup if Pycroft wasn’t removed. And the ICC isn’t in any mood to punish him. Now, Pakistan earns 15% of the total annual revenue generated by the ACC that comes via broadcast deals (linear and digital), various sponsorships, and ticketing, among other things.

Tough task for PCB Chief

The PCB aren’t cash-rich like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Therefore, losing a big chunk of money like this isn’t ideal. Moreover, PCB Chairman Naqvi also holds the post of the ACC President.

By pulling out, he will face pushback from the broadcasters, Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI), who have signed an 8-year deal (2024 to 2031) with the ACC for USD 170 million. But that won’t be all; other ACC members might also question why Pakistan deserves an equal payout despite backing out of a major tournament like the Asia Cup 2025.

“Can Naqvi risk Pakistan losing around USD 16 million out of a projected budget of USD 227 million for the fiscal year? That will be roughly seven per cent of the annual PCB revenue gone. It will be walking on thin ice for him. But again, as one of the important ministers of Pakistan, he also needs to keep his respect in front of his countrymen,” a source privy to developments in PCB told PTI.

Considering India and Pakistan will play each other at least once again, SPNI will suffer huge losses if they don’t play. In that case, they won’t be able to sell advertisement slots for the marquee match at a premium. They might not honour the original deal, which means they can pull out early or pay them less than agreed.

However, if Naqvi, who’s also Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, doesn’t pull out, the public can question where his interests lie. It’s a lose-lose situation for the PCB and ACC head. Which way will he go?