Latest Cricket News from the Cricket World

Health Ministry’s Call to Eliminate Tobacco and Alcohol Promotions

Latest Cricket News from the Cricket World: The BCCI Apex Council is gearing up to address a pressing directive from the Health Ministry as it meets on March 22, 2025, in Kolkata, just before the IPL 2025 launch. The ministry, via a letter from the Director General of Health Services to IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal, has pushed for a complete ban on tobacco and alcohol-related advertisements during IPL games. This includes prohibiting surrogate promotions within stadiums, at events tied to the league, and on national TV broadcasts. 

The government’s stance is clear with cricket’s massive influence, it must not subtly endorse addictive or harmful products. The council will also evaluate sponsorship deals involving tobacco and cryptocurrency companies, aligning with the ministry’s broader advice to sports bodies to prevent players and influencers from promoting such items. This discussion comes at a major moment, reflecting India’s efforts to tackle public health challenges through stricter advertising controls. As IPL is just 4 days away from it’s season opener. 

PCB Salary Reductions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly reduced match fees for its women domestic cricketers, dropping their earnings from PKR 25,000 to PKR 20,000 per game, amid some challenges due to administrative missteps and public backlash over similar cuts for men. While the PCB made an increase in contracted players from 79 to 90 for the 2024-25 season, claiming it would boost grassroots talent and professionalism, the financial reality paints a bleak picture. 

Monthly retainers of PKR 35,000 fall below Pakistan’s minimum wage for unskilled workers (PKR 37,000), and with no daily allowances this season, players maximum annual earnings cap at PKR 1,040,000 for just 31 days of cricket. This pay cut, coupled with limited playing opportunities and delayed contracts, when compared with the PCB’s PKR 240 million women’s cricket budget, raises questions about resource allocation and commitment to gender equity in the sport.

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