The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to offer a monumental three-year central contracts deal – as opposed to the usual 12 month duration – to 25 men’s team cricketers, which will run from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026. Despite the length of the contracts, players will be set for annual reviews and performance-based promotion and demotion in categories.
The contracts – which will be common for both red-ball and white-ball players – offers the chosen 25 a big increment in match fees (50% increment in Test, 25% in ODI and 12.5% in T20I) as well as a sharp rise in monthly retainers. The players will also get a portion of the revenue that PCB makes from the ICC.
Additionally, centrally-contracted players will be allowed to feature in two overseas leagues each season, and earn 50% of international match fee for playing domestic cricket. The players have been split across four categories, with the trio of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi in Category A, who were at the helm of lengthy negotiations with the cricket board.
“It is by far a historic deal,” Azam said. “I am extremely happy and satisfied that we have reached an agreement with the PCB. It has been a lengthy and, at times, challenging negotiation process, but I believe we have reached a fair and beneficial agreement for both parties.”
PCB’s management committee chairperson Zaka Ashraf concurred, saying: “This deal signifies our commitment to improving the financial health of our players, acknowledging their hard work and dedication to the game. We firmly believe that a financially secure and motivated team is more likely to excel on the field.”
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
