The recent performance of the Pakistan cricket team has been consistently disappointing. Losses against Bangladesh, and defeats by teams considered weaker like the West Indies, have compelled the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take a stringent step.
Sports News: The Pakistan cricket team is currently going through a very rough patch on the field. Losses to teams like Bangladesh, and defeats against lower-ranked teams like the West Indies, are happening continuously. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is now preparing to take a major step due to the team's declining performance.
According to media reports, the board is soon going to cut the hefty salaries of senior players. If this happens, it will directly affect big names in the team like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who could face a blow of crores of rupees.
Why is the PCB Upset?
For some time now, there has been b discussion within the PCB that the huge contracts being given to players are not having a positive impact on the team's performance. While players' earnings are increasing, the results on the field are consistently poor. The board believes that players prioritize individual gains more than the team.
This is why the PCB is now considering removing the 3% share of ICC revenue from the central contract. Currently, this share is included in the players' earnings, but after its removal, their salaries will decrease by crores of rupees.
How Much Will Players' Earnings Be Reduced?
According to the current central contract, the match fees and monthly salaries of Pakistani players are as follows:
- Test match fee: Approximately ₹12 lakh per match
- ODI fee: Approximately ₹6 lakh per match
- T20I fee: Approximately ₹4 lakh per match
In addition, players receive a monthly salary according to their category:
- A Category (Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan): ₹6.57 lakh per month
- B Category: ₹4.55 million per annum
- C Category: ₹2.03 million per annum
- D Category: ₹1.26 million per annum
A large portion of these packages comes from ICC revenue (approximately ₹1.035 million). If the PCB removes this, there will be a significant reduction in the earnings of players in all categories.
Who Will Be Affected the Most?
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will be most affected by this decision of the PCB, as they fall in the A category. At the same time, senior players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan may also have to bear losses of lakhs of rupees. It is also interesting that the PCB has increased spending on players this time.
The retainership budget has increased by 37% to ₹1,173 million compared to last year. However, despite this, there is no plan to increase the match fees of the players. The board says that until the team's performance improves, no increase in players' salaries is possible.
