The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after announcing a reformed domestic structure has said it will inject Rs1 billion this season despite a reduction in the number of teams.
A heavy chunk from it has been allocated for the welfare of players by providing them unprecedented remunerations, based on enhanced retainers, match-fees, allowances and prize money which can bring a spike by more than Rs2 million in a player’s bank statement over the course of the upcoming season, a statement from the cricket board said.
The prize money for domestic events has with the winning prize money for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy being increased by 233 per cent, whereas there has been a surge of 150 and 100 per cent in the prize money of Pakistan Cup and National T20 Cup.
The winners of the country’s premier first-class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, will be awarded Rs10 million and the runner-up will get Rs5 million. Another Rs5 million will be handed out to tournament’s top-performers and the man-of-the-final will take Rs50,000 home. The winners of the Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament and the National T20 Cup will get Rs5 million, and the runner-up will bag half of it. The man-of-the-final for both tournaments will be awarded Rs35,000.
The top-performers for the apex one-day tournament will get a share from the pool of Rs250,000. For the T20 tournament, it would be from Rs100,000.
As per the new model, the six Cricket Associations will provide year-long contracts to 32 players each to provide them stable income. The 192 contracted players will earn Rs600,000 per annum on the basis of Rs50,000 monthly retainers.
Previously, the regional cricketers at the first-class level were solely reliant on the match-fees.
The 32 contracted players will also receive daily allowances, along with bed and breakfast in the shape of three and four-star accommodations, lunches at the venues and economy-class flights (when travelling inter-province).
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said, “The new structure along with enhancing the quality of cricket at the first-class level is designed to improve the earning levels of our domestic cricketers.
“It is alarming that for such a long time the cricketers at this level were deprived of the income that they rightfully deserve. Our aim is to develop cricket as a career option for the young and upcoming cricketers. The PCB, along with a focus on first-class players, wants the players at the lower rungs of the structure to take decent earnings home.
“I am hopeful that this increase in the income levels will not only encourage the cricketers at the periphery to work hard but will also attract new players to the game.”
