The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to grow richer with every passing year. According to a financial report shared with state associations, the Board had a bank balance of ₹20,686 crore as of 12 months ago. The updated figures for 2023-24 will be formally presented at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28, but officials expect a significant jump from last year.
At the 2024 AGM, members were informed that since 2019, the BCCI’s cash and bank reserves have grown from ₹6,059 crore to ₹20,686 crore—this despite disbursing all dues to state cricket associations. That marks an addition of ₹14,627 crore in five years, including ₹4,193 crore in the last financial year alone.
The general fund has also seen a sharp rise, climbing from ₹3,906 crore in 2019 to ₹7,988 crore in 2024.
Busting the “no-tax” myth
The report clarifies that BCCI continues to pay income tax in large amounts, contrary to popular belief. For FY 2023-24, the board has provisioned ₹3,150 crore towards income tax obligations, even as appeals in various courts and tribunals are ongoing.
Key takeaways from the audited financials (2023-24)
- Media rights revenue: Declined to ₹813.14 crore from ₹2,524.80 crore in 2022-23, mainly due to fewer international home matches as India hosted the ICC ODI World Cup in October-November 2023.
- Income from tours: Dropped to ₹361.22 crore from ₹642.78 crore in the previous year.
- Investment income: Rose sharply to ₹986.45 crore (from ₹533.05 crore) as the BCCI secured strong returns on bank deposits under the supervision of Secretary Jay Shah.
- Surplus: Income over expenditure stood at ₹1,623.08 crore, up from ₹1,167.99 crore in 2022-23. The increase was driven largely by higher IPL 2023 surplus and ICC distributions.
- Allocations:
- ₹1,200 crore towards the infrastructure development fund
- ₹350 crore towards the platinum jubilee benevolent fund
- ₹500 crore for cricket development infrastructure
- State associations: Provisions of ₹1,990.18 crore were made in 2023-24, with ₹2,013.97 crore projected for 2024-25.
The report underlines the BCCI’s long-term vision of investing in cricket’s growth across the country while continuing to support former players through welfare funds.
