The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a new men’s central contract’s list that will run from 1 July, 2023 to 30 June, 2026. 25 cricketers will be beneficiaries of PCB’s central contract list, which will include a portion of the ICC revenue.
For the duration of the contracts’ three-year term, the financial model will be fixed. However, the performance of each athlete will be evaluated annually.
The contract schedule differs from the previous year in that red-ball and white-ball national contracts have been combined. This decision was proposed by the central contract committee as a means to evaluate the players’ match-winning abilities.
The athletes are divided into four categories with significant increases in their monthly retainers. The ICC revenue will be incorporated into monthly compensation.
There is also a significant increase in player match fees: 50% in Test, 25% in ODI, and 12.5% in T20I.
“We believe that our players are the true assets of Pakistan cricket, and it is our utmost priority to ensure their well-being and provide them with the best possible services,” PCB Management Committee Chairperson, Zaka Ashraf, said.
“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.”
The Pakistan captain Babar Azam lauded the new contracts as a landmark agreement.
“It is by far a historic deal,” Babar said. “I am extremely happy and satisfied that we have reached an agreement with the PCB.
“This agreement signifies a new chapter in players’ career and in Pakistan cricket. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all players towards the game and now we are all geared up ahead of the ICC Men’s World Cup.”
Central Contract list:
Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammed Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan
Category C: Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique
Category D: Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammed Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan
Pakistan will feature in two warm-up fixtures, against Australia and New Zealand respectively, before kicking off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands at Hyderabad on 6 October.
