The latest announcement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, delivering a jaw-dropping 202% boost in the salaries of male players. This groundbreaking three-year contract, spanning from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, signifies a monumental leap in recognizing and rewarding the country’s cricketing talent.
In Category A, where the cream of the national team resides, luminaries like Captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi have witnessed an astonishing surge in remuneration, a staggering 202% increment that truly reflects their exceptional contributions to the sport.
Category B plays host to six stellar cricketers – Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imamul Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan – who are set to revel in a substantial pay hike of 144%.
Category C introduces us to two gifted cricketers, Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafiq, whose remuneration has ascended by an impressive 135%.
Meanwhile, Category D accommodates 14 players whose salaries have witnessed a commendable growth of 127%.
Intriguingly, notable omissions from the central contract include Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Nouman Ali, Abid Ali, Yasir Shah, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdal Shah, Usman Qadir, and Zahid Mehmood. In contrast, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris, formerly in the emerging category, have been elevated. The emerging category itself has been eradicated in this revamped central contract.
To stimulate performance, the PCB is placing a strong emphasis on performance evaluation during the three-year contract, with player reviews scheduled every 12 months. Test match fees have surged by an impressive 50%, ODI fees by 25%, and T20 fees by a noteworthy 12.5%. Furthermore, players included in the central contract will have the opportunity to partake in two foreign leagues, fostering their involvement in global domestic cricket. Additionally, they will be entitled to 50% of the international match fee for their contributions to domestic cricket.
