The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approved a record Rs18.3 billion budget for the 2025–26 financial year, signaling a renewed commitment to regional cricket development, operational transparency, and capitalizing on the explosive growth of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The budget announcement followed the 78th Board of Governors (BoG) meeting at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. Board members including Zaheer Abbas, Sajjad Ali Khokhar, Zafarullah, Tariq Sarwar, and COO Sameer Ahmed were in attendance.
Annual award to drive regional excellence
A key initiative under the new budget is the introduction of an annual award for the best-performing regional cricket association. This move aims to accelerate grassroots talent development and infrastructure improvements across the country.
“The region that demonstrates outstanding commitment to cricket promotion will be formally recognized each year,” the PCB stated, underlining its intent to decentralize cricket excellence.
PSL X sees 647% surge in live streaming views
The PCB also spotlighted the record-breaking success of PSL X, which ran parallel to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Live streaming views surged by an incredible 647.25%, climbing from 455 million in PSL 9 to 3.4 billion in the latest edition. Playoffs and finals alone generated 511 million views.
Salman Naseer, PSL CEO, received praise from board member Tariq Sarwar for steering the league successfully through a volatile period. “The arrival of top international players in Pakistan immediately after the conflict is a clear proof of PSL’s growing success and global trust,” Sarwar noted.
PCB tightens staff accountability
To further enhance efficiency, the Board has approved the implementation of a continuous performance evaluation system for PCB staff. This aims to improve governance and operational delivery across departments.
While the budget did not detail expected revenues from recent ICC-hosted events in Lahore, the Rs18.3 billion allocation signals a strategic and forward-thinking approach to cricket operations and infrastructure in Pakistan.
