PCB encourages cricket through incentives

Board to provide stipends to 50 under-16 players.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will be investing in youth in order to encourage them to take up cricket seriously and has decided to support 50 budding under-16 (U16) cricketers with monthly stipends.

It has been learnt by The Express Tribune that the board will be facilitating 50 players by paying them Rs5,000 per month for a period of six months, after which the payment cycle will start again.

The move has been made to encourage potential cricketers to work hard on their game while it will also push them to perform better, knowing that an incentive is in the offing if they do well.

The PCB was being criticised for investing only in the national team and not pumping enough money in domestic cricket and at the youth level.

“The PCB has taken a good step of providing a stipend to 50 U16 cricketers, which will encourage young talent to do well,” national junior chief selector Basit Ali told The Express Tribune.

“The board is very keen to pump funds in domestic cricket, and consequently our first-class cricketers and young players will earn a respectable amount of money according to their categories.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind step that needs appreciation, and the management deserves credit for acknowledging our suggestion.”

Basit added that the same stipend category programme will be continued with the U19 cricketers as well, besides the money they receive in inter-regional tournaments.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2014.

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