Pakistan's domestic cricketers expect massive hike

Top domestic cricketers stand a chance to earn as much as PKR 3.2 million (Rs14 lakh INR) over the course of the season, including a monthly retainer of PKR 150,000 (Rs 66k INR) according to a revamped pay structure announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday.

Ahead of the 2020-21 season, which begins on September 30, the country's cricket board announced a new pay structure which will see domestic players earning "more than seven per cent" of what they received in the 2019-20 season.

"Once the lowly paid top domestic cricket performers now have the opportunity to earn as high as PKR 3.2million, which is 83 per cent more than 2019-20, and as low as PKR 1.8million, still a seven per cent increase from what the players in the highest category received last year," PCB said in a release on Tuesday.

"With each of the 10 A+ category players to receive PKR 150,000 as monthly retainer for 12 months and a match fee of PKR 40,000 for National T20 Cup and Pakistan Cup each, and PKR 60,000 for Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, players maintaining and displaying high levels of professionalism throughout the season will earn PKR 3.2million."

The Board also said that "monthly retainer of D category domestic players is PKR 40,000 but they will get the same match fee as the highest category player", which means "any D category player who features in all the 30 First XI league matches will earn PKR 1.8million."

The players can take home an even higher paycheck if they can "increase their earnings if they reach the finals, which will guarantee them additional match fee as well as share in the prize money".

Last year, the monthly retainer of all domestic contracted first XI players was PKR 50,000, while match fee was PKR 40,000 for white-ball cricket and PKR 75,000 for red-ball cricket.

"The PCB is aware that Pakistan cricketers are not the highest-paid in the world, but it is our endeavour to slowly and gradually improve their contracts so that they can get best returns for their talent and also plan their futures," PCB Director - High Performance, Nadeem Khan said.

"PCB generates its funds and revenues through cricket and it is appropriate that a large chunk of these funds are reinvested into development and cricketers.

"I am confident that domestic cricketers will see these enhancements as a morale and confidence booster, and they will not only aim to perform better than last year but this will introduce an element of competition between these players in pursuit of improved contracts next year."