LAHORE – Despite a reduction in the number of teams, leading to a lesser number of matches, in the reformed domestic cricket structure, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will inject over Rs one billion this season.
A heavy chunk from it has been allocated for the welfare of players by providing them unprecedented remunerations, based on enhanced retainers, match-fees, allowances, and prize money which can bring a spike by more than PKR2million in a player’s bank statement over the course of the upcoming season.
As per the new model, the six Cricket Associations will provide year-long contracts to 32 players each to provide them with a stable income.
The 192 contracted players will earn PKR600,000 per annum on the basis of PKR50,000 monthly retainers.
Previously, the regional cricketers at the first-class level were solely reliant on the match-fees. The PCB, this season, has also bettered their per match remunerations. For a better understanding, a breakdown is provided below.
First XI, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) Playing XI: 75,000 Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament Playing XI: 40,000 National T20 Cup Playing XI: 40,000 The players turning out for the Cricket Associations’ second XIs, U19s, and city cricket associations will also see a rapid surge in their earnings.
Second XI, Non-first-class tournament Playing XI: 30,000 One-Day Cup Playing XI: 15,000 T20 Cup Playing XI: 15,000 U19 sides, Three-Day Playing XI: 10,000 One-Day Playing XI: 5,000. The 32 contracted players will also receive daily allowances, along with bed and breakfast in the shape of three and four-star accommodations, lunches at the venues and economy-class flights (when travelling inter-province).
The prize money for domestic events has also been increased manifold. The winning prize money for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has been increased by 233 per cent, whereas there has been a surge of 150 and 100 per cent in the prize money of Pakistan Cup and National T20 Cup.
The winners of the country’s premier first-class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, will be awarded PKR10million and the runner-up will get PKR5million. Another PKR5million will be handed out to tournament’s top-performers and the man-of-the-final will take PKR 50,000 home.
The winners of the Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament and the National T20 Cup will get PKR 5 million, and the runner-up will bag half of it. The man-of-the-final for both tournaments will be awarded PKR 35,000.
The top-performers for the apex one-day tournament will get a share from the pool of PKR250,000. For the T20 tournament, it would be from PKR 100,000.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said here on Sunday “The new structure along with enhancing the quality of cricket at the first-class level is designed to improve the earning levels of our domestic cricketers.”
“It is alarming that for such a long time the cricketers at this level were deprived of the income that they rightfully deserve. Our aim is to develop cricket as a career option for the young and upcoming cricketers. The PCB, along with a focus on first-class players, wants the players at the lower rungs
of the structure to take decent earnings home,” he added. Wasim said, “I am hopeful that this increase in the income levels will not only encourage the cricketers at the periphery to work hard but will also attract new players to the game.”
