Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after reports that the board fined players following the team’s exit from the Super 8 stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup. According to media reports, the PCB imposed a fine of PKR 50 lakh on each member of the squad for not meeting performance expectations in the ICC event. The reported fine was not linked to discipline but to results. Pakistan won their final Super 8 match against Sri Lanka, but the victory margin was not enough to go past New Zealand’s net run rate, leading to elimination. Earlier, their match against New Zealand was washed out and they also lost narrowly to England. Speaking on the Pakistani show Haarna Mana Hai, Amir criticised the PCB’s decision and urged chairman Mohsin Naqvi not to target only players. He said selectors and administrators should also be held responsible and even face stricter penalties. “If fines are the solution, apply them to everyone — from selectors to the administration. Players weren’t forced at gunpoint. Hold selectors accountable for wrong combinations. Double the fine for them. Stop scapegoating players. This isn’t the real solution. Why do players have to suffer all the time?” Amir said. Amir also questioned whether all players should be fined, mentioning Sahibzada Farhan, who set the record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition with two centuries, and Fakhar Zaman, who played only two matches. “If you can’t pick the right combination, the ones who selected the squad and chalked out the plans must answer. Will you fine Fakhar Zaman as well, who played just two games? What about Sahibzada Farhan?” he asked. He added that if the PCB is unhappy with certain players, leaving them out of the team would send a stronger message than financial penalties. Amir said players who underperform should be asked to prove themselves in domestic cricket for at least two years before being considered again. “Fines aren’t the solution. I’ve said it from day one — invest in domestic cricket. That is where you will find quality players. If you are angry with someone, don’t fine them; drop them and tell them to perform consistently for two years in domestic cricket. The biggest punishment for a player is being left out of the team,” he added.
