LAHORE- Despite ongoing disputes with the PCB over wages and match fees, national cricketers struggled in the 2023 World Cup post-Asia Cup.
The central contract disagreement was cited for their subpar performance.
Financial issues pre-departure diverted focus, but last-minute agreements were reached. A new central contract brought a financial windfall, with Test match fees increasing by 50%, reaching 1,257,795 rupees.
Category A players like Babar Azam saw a 202% increase in monthly contracts to 4.5 million rupees, plus a share of ICC revenue.
Category B, with a 144% increase, reached a monthly sum of 4.14 million rupees. Categories C and D saw increases of 135% and 127%, respectively, in monthly salaries. ICC shares for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons will bring further increases.
Players not in the XI receive 70% of the match fee. Captains, even if not playing all matches, receive a weekly entertainment allowance. Match-win bonuses vary based on opponent rankings.
Prize money distribution, awards, and additional bonuses for winning matches against top teams are outlined. The PCB’s annual budget allocates 528 million rupees for central contracts, including 3% of ICC revenue, totaling 748.3 million rupees.
