PCB sack Waqar, Misbah, Malik, Saqlain and Sarfaraz as mentors amid financial strain and poor results

New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has terminated the services of some of the nation’s most iconic cricketing figures — Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq and Sarfaraz Ahmed — from their roles as mentors for domestic teams.

The decision, which has raised eyebrows across Pakistan’s cricketing circles, comes amid concerns over underwhelming performance outcomes and mounting financial pressures on the board.

The five former cricketers, who were inducted into PCB’s mentorship programme in August last year, were assigned to work closely with regional and departmental sides to uplift domestic cricket standards for both men and women.

However, the PCB has now concluded that the investment failed to yield the expected impact, particularly in the context of Pakistan’s struggling domestic ecosystem, which is often blamed for the national team’s inconsistency on the global stage.

According to insiders, the PCB was shelling out nearly five million Pakistani rupees (approx. USD 18,000) per mentor — a figure that drew sharp criticism from both the media and former players, especially in light of the limited tangible progress seen in domestic structures.

“PCB chairman has conveyed to the mentors that their services were no longer required as the desired results were not achieved,” a source told www.telecomasia.net.

“The huge amount of money also has its implications, with fears that the International Cricket Council’s annual funding to the PCB may be reduced. There is concern that television rights for Pakistan’s international matches might fetch lower bids in the upcoming cycle from 2028 to 2032, which further limits the board’s financial bandwidth.”

The financial strain has reportedly forced the PCB to reconsider many high-cost roles, including mentorships that were originally envisioned to help groom talent at the grassroots. While the mentors had illustrious careers as players, their stints in these developmental roles did not reflect similar success.

Of the five, Shoaib Malik had already informed the PCB of his decision to step away, citing scheduling conflicts due to commercial commitments. Malik was also criticised for appearing on TV channels as an analyst during the Pakistan Super League and Champions Trophy, despite his mentorship responsibilities. “We are not PCB’s employees,” Malik had said during one of his appearances on Pakistan Television, defending his dual roles and asserting that his media engagements were not in conflict with his mentorship obligations.

The PCB, however, had permitted all five mentors to continue their media assignments — decisions that drew further scrutiny, particularly when the mentors earned significant additional income from television contracts. Critics argued that such flexibility blurred lines of accountability and undermined the effectiveness of the mentorship programme.

Among the sacked mentors, Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed may still remain within the PCB system. Misbah, Pakistan’s most successful Test captain with 26 wins in 56 matches, is reportedly being considered for the role of head coach of the red-ball team. Sarfaraz, too, may be reassigned in a different capacity.

IANS