The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) audit report has revealed that renowned umpire Aleem Dar received double the standard match fee during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 9, causing a financial loss of about 3.85 million PKR.
According to PCB rules, umpires from the ICC International Panel are supposed to be paid \$2,000 per match. However, during PSL 9 in 2024, Aleem Dar was paid \$4,000 per match . A rate reserved for ICC Elite Panel umpires. This led to an overpayment of \$14,000 for the tournament.
The audit report refers to a note sheet titled . “PCB-DCOP-24-1848 – Payments for Match Officials, PSL 9, 2024 .” Which detailed the payments made to umpires and match referees. A total of 15 million PKR was allocated from the Chairman’s contingency fund to cover these expenses. And Dar received \$28,000 in total match fees during the tournament.
At the time, Aleem Dar was no longer part of the ICC Elite Panel. And was serving only on PCB’s International Panel, meaning his official match fee should have been \$2,000 per game. The report highlights that the decision to pay him at the Elite Panel rate was personally approved by the then Chairman of the Management Committee, putting unnecessary financial strain on the PCB and PSL franchises.
In response, PCB management said Aleem Dar requested to be paid at the higher rate and that the Chairman approved it. Auditors noted that this response confirmed the overpayment issue and its negative financial impact.
This revelation has raised questions about transparency and governance within the PCB, highlighting potential misuse of funds and the need for stricter financial oversight in Pakistan cricket.
