The much-anticipated central contracts have been released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and they include a notable 202% increase in the monthly retainers for elite players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan.
These three players, who fall under category A, will make Rs4.5 million ($15,649.49) per month as part of their new contracts, an increase of more than four times what they received the year before.
This agreement, which was reached after four months of discussions between the PCB and the players, is notable for the first time it includes a portion of Pakistan’s ICC (International Cricket Council) payout.
In a statement, the PCB said, “PCB has successfully negotiated a three-year central contract deal with its senior players that will run from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, in which 25 cricketers will be offered a deal.”
The contract divides players into four categories, with Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi belonging to the top tier.
With a stated salary of Rs3 million ($10,433), Category B comprises Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan. Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique receive Rs1.5 million ($5,216.50), placing them in category C.
The monthly salary for category D players like Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and others is Rs750,000 ($2,608).
Additionally, player match fees for Tests, one-day internationals, and Twenty20 games will all rise by 50%, 25%, and 12.5%, respectively.
Red-ball and white-ball national contracts have been combined, a change from the prior year.
The financial parameters of the three-year contract will stay fixed, and player performance will be evaluated every 12 months. Players also have the freedom to play in two foreign leagues each season.
