PCB Rewrites Player Pay With Format-Based Contracts and Rs1.1 Billion Budget
Tying retainers and match fees to Test, ODI and T20 roles shifts pay toward format specialists, expands funding for domestic and women's cricket before Pakistan's West Indies tour.
Overview
- The Pakistan Cricket Board has set aside 1,100 million rupees to cover revised central contracts, higher match fees and expanded domestic and women's programmes under the new pay plan.
- The old A–D bands were replaced with format- and specialisation-based categories (AB, A, BC, C) that specify per-match fees tied to Tests, ODIs and T20Is for contracted players.
- Men's domestic monthly retainers for 175 players remain in the four-tier structure with specified amounts, while Quaid-e-Azam players now get 100,000 rupees per match and reserves 50,000 rupees.
- Women's central retainers and match fees have been raised across categories and the PCB approved two new domestic women's tournaments, Super Three One-Day and Super Three T20, with dedicated budgets.
- The PCB plans to publish the list of centrally contracted players — expected to be about 45 names — next week before Pakistan departs for the West Indies, a timing that may affect selection and format incentives.