Six players issued short-term contracts

Sami, Fawad on the list handed 4-month stipend.

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued short, stipend contracts to six players who were omitted from the list of 40 players formed in May this year.

Mohammad Talha, Mohammad Sami, Tabish Khan, Umaid Asif, Fawad Alam and Yasir Shah were given four-month contracts worth Rs40,000 per month from September to December.

“The names were decided upon after reviewing names which were left out initially but deserved to get the contracts after their impressive performance,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune.

The PCB had earlier come under fire for snubbing Sami despite the fast-bowler being named in all three formats for the tour of Sri Lanka that started in June. The PCB had also included the name of Bismillah Khan in the stipend list even though the batsman was banned for an altercation in a Grade-II match. PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf ordered an inquiry into the blunders by the committee that was headed by Intikhab Alam in consultation with former chief selector Mohammad Ilyas.

“The issue was raised in a recent governing board meeting after which the chairman ordered to give these contracts as soon as possible,” the official added.

Players unhappy with length of contract

Meanwhile, some of the players benefiting from the decision were unhappy at the length of the contract, insisting the board should have given them year-long contracts.

“This is not fair that we’ve been given four-month contracts,” said one of the players. “Before, when we were snubbed from the list, there was a sense of injustice. Now, even though we’ve been given stipends, it has left a bitter taste after the length of the contracts.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2012.