PCB to take a tough decision on cricketers playing leagues

BAHAWALPUR: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) head Zaka Ashraf on Monday hinted that Pakistan cricketers will be allowed to play only one franchise league apart from Pakistan Super League (PSL), ARY News reported.

Talking to journalists here, the PCB head acknowledged that Pakistan cricketers were preferring to play franchise leagues across the world as “they were relatively underpaid”.

“Our cricketers get very little money,” Zaka Ashraf regretted, noting that the PCB was considering to raise payments so that they delightfully sign central contacts.

Earlier, the PCB announced central contracts, first time for a three-year period, with a significant increase in monthly retainers as well as match fees for all four categories.

As many as 30 cricketers will be offered a momentous deal that will include a portion of ICC revenue. Unlike last year, red-ball and white-ball national contracts have been merged.

The list of players will be divided into four categories with significant increases in monthly retainers. Revenue from ICC will be incorporated in overall monthly remuneration.

Category A (3 players): 202 %
Category B (7): 144 %
Category C (4): 135 %
Category D (16): 127 %

Players’ match fees will also see a major hike: 50% increment in Test, 25% in ODI and 12.5% in T20I. Centrally contracted players who are playing domestic cricket will be paid 50% of the international match fee.

Zaka Ashraf – while talking to journalists – pointed out that there was a proposal that the Pakistani cricketers will be allowed to play only one league apart from the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Responding to a question, Ashraf said that he had invited former chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq for a meeting but he resigned from the post before it.

The former cricketer stepped down last month from his post after “conflict of interest” allegations.

He also addressed a controversy surrounding a phone call of Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, saying that he had no conversation with the batter.

Ashraf also expressed best wishes for Babar Azam, saying that he held a telephonic conversation with the skipper following the victory against New Zealand.

Appreciating the players, he said that the Pakistani openers put up a great show in the previous match of the World Cup 2023 against New Zealand. “I talked to the skipper and announced Rs1 million reward for Fakhar Zaman,” he added.

When asked whether Babar would be removed as Pakistan captain if team fails to qualify for semi-final spot, Ashraf said the decision will not be made solely as technical committee is there to deliberate on the issue.

Rifts in team

Meanwhile, Zaka Ashraf also opened up on the alleged rift within the Pakistan men’s cricket team, who are participating in the ICC World Cup 2023.

The PCB head categorically denied any rift within the players and blamed “cricket enemies” for spreading the false rumours.

“There is no infighting in the team,” said Ashraf. “The whole team is united. These baseless stories are created by the enemies of the game.”

For the unversed, it was reported in late September that Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi got into an argument when the captain expressed his disappointment with the senior players in the dressing room, after losing the deciding Super Four clash of the Asia Cup to Sri Lanka, which led to their elimination from the continental event.

Reports also suggested that things got pretty tense between Babar and Shaheen after the heated argument before wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan intervened to bring the situation back under control.

It appeared that all was well among Green Shirts but their series of losses in the ICC World Cup 2023 reignited the rumours of a rift, especially among the three frontmen of the national cricket team – Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan.