PCB announces new player contracts and pay scale

KARACHI: The details of the remuneration structure outlined in the recently revealed central contracts for national cricket team players, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last month, have been reported by Geo.

According to media reports, the players listed under the central contracts for the 2022-23 season have been categorised into four groups – A, B, C, and D – each receiving a stipend commensurate with their respective tiers.

In the A category, the top tier, three cricketers will receive approximately Rs6 million per month, while B category players are set to earn Rs4.1 million monthly.

For those in the C category, the monthly payment is set at Rs1.75 million, while D category players will receive Rs1.13 million each month.

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Insiders reveal that the monthly remuneration also encompasses 3 per cent of the revenue accrued by the PCB from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The following players were offered contracts across the designated categories:

Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan

Category C: Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique

Category D: Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usama Mir, and Zaman Khan

As reported by Geo, a substantial increase has been noted in players’ match fees, with a 50 per cent increment for Test matches, 25 per cent for ODIs, and 12.5 per cent for T20Is.

Centrally contracted players actively participating in domestic cricket will receive 50 per cent of the international match fee. Moreover, players are now permitted to engage in two foreign leagues per season.

The three-year duration of the contracts will maintain a locked financial model throughout the term. However, player performance evaluations will be conducted annually. The previous central contract cycle concluded on June 30, with the new agreement becoming effective on July 1, 2023.

Last month, the PCB confirmed the successful negotiation of a landmark three-year central contract deal with senior players, spanning from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026. A total of 25 cricketers are part of this significant deal, which also includes a share of the ICC revenue.

Unlike the previous year, the central contract committee has merged red-ball and white-ball national contracts to assess players based on match-winning performances, fostering fairness and transparency in the selection process.