The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing an awkward standoff with four high-profile former cricketers who are refusing to leave their posts as mentors, months after their roles were deemed unnecessary.
Last year, ahead of the now-defunct Champions Cup, the PCB made a high-profile move by appointing five mentors—Misbah-ul-Haq, Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shoaib Malik. Each was reportedly offered a staggering Rs 5 million per month, an amount that continued to draw criticism from cricketing circles due to its size and unclear results.
The Champions Cup experiment failed to deliver meaningful success, and the board has since replaced it with the Pentangular Cup, an older domestic format with a more competitive structure. With the event shelved, the roles of these mentors naturally became redundant.
While Shoaib Malik stepped down voluntarily, the remaining foursome of Misbah, Waqar, Saqlain, and Sarfaraz have chosen silence over resignation. According to senior sports journalist Saleem Khaliq, they’re waiting to be officially dismissed so they can claim contractual compensation, which could cost the PCB up to Rs 20 million in total—four months’ worth of salary.
In an attempt to avoid that payout, the PCB had initially reached out informally to indicate their services were no longer required. However, with no resignations forthcoming, the board is now stuck in a corner. The board is said to be considering alternative, lower-paid roles for them to avoid confrontation and fan backlash, but no final decision has been made.
This entire debacle paints a difficult picture for Pakistan cricket’s administration—one where poor planning and unclear expectations have led to a financial and reputational tangle. How the PCB deals with the episode will be an interesting watch for every party involved.