The top men’s cricket players in the country receive handsome monthly payments, which have been made public by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Updated central contract information have been made public by the board, showing significant salary rises for Pakistan’s international players in every category.
The highest earners in Pakistani cricket are captain Babar Azam, pace sensation Shaheen Afridi, and batsman-wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. With their core contracts, these performers now earn a whopping PKR 4.5 million a month, placing them in the top tier known as “Category A.”
The PCB’s dedication to rewarding outstanding performers and keeping their services in the midst of all the lucrative T20 league offers overseas is demonstrated by this figure, which represents a startling 200% increase over their prior compensation.
Not only that, but Pakistan’s “Category B” players—like Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and teenage speedster Naseem Shah—are also making a lot of money, with their monthly earnings reaching PKR 3 million, a 144% increase.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pakistan faces a “do or die” scenario.
PKR 750,000 to PKR 1.5 million is the range of monthly salary increases for even those in the lower ‘Category C’ and ‘Category D’ levels, which include seasoned campaigners like Imad Wasim and Iftikhar Ahmed. These increases range from 127–135%.
The new central contracts for the PCB, which were unveiled in September, include the players’ whole salary. According to The Express Tribune, in addition to their retainers, players also get performance-based bonuses and match fees in all three forms.
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The PCB is responding to growing criticism regarding player salary, particularly in light of international benchmarks and the enormous salaries paid in domestic T20 competitions across the globe, by implementing the significant pay increases.
It’s a “do or die” scenario for Pakistan, who are presently competing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies. The USA and India, their bitter rivals, defeated Azam and Co. in both of their opening two games. For their third league match, they are playing Canada, and they really need to win to have any chance of making it to the Super Eight stage.
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