Long time coming : PCB announces list of central contracts

Younus, Afridi feature in top category as board cuts 19 players from payroll.

KARACHI:

With the year nearing its half-way mark, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally announced the list of players who were awarded central contracts for 2013.

Amid calls requesting a pay-bump, the board announced a 15% raise in monthly salaries, while also increasing the Test match fee. No change was, however, made in match fees for One-Day Internationals (ODI) and Twenty20s.

As per the raise, a player in category A will receive a fee of Rs440,000 (increased from Rs385,000) for a Test match appearance, while cricketers in B and C will receive a fee of Rs385,000 and Rs 330,000 (increased from Rs330,000 and Rs275,000, respectively).

“The PCB increased the salaries by 25% last year,” a senior PCB official told The Express Tribune. “An increase of 40% has been made by the board within a couple of years.”

However, many players were still dissatisfied with the pay raise but the official confirmed that nearly all of them have signed the contract.

“All the UK-bound players have signed before leaving and only a couple of others are remaining. But they’re expected to sign soon as well.”

Last year, the PCB included 42 players (21 centrally-contracted and as many players in the stipend category) on its payroll when it announced contracts in May 2012. However, the number increased to 49 by the end of 2012.

This time, the board has included just 30 players, which features 21 centrally-contracted and nine players in the stipend category.

“It’s a comprehensive list in which only potential players have been included,” added the official.

‘Afridi preferred due to seniority’

The official added that international and domestic performances, besides fitness and future value of a player, were the criteria for the central contracts.

However, Afridi, who was sidelined for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to a poor show, emerged as the biggest beneficiary after being retained in the A category. Batsman Umar Akmal and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, however, were demoted.

Former captain Younus Khan was also retained in the top category despite being dropped for the Champions Trophy due to an indecent show in recent ODIs.

“Afridi was preferred due to his seniority and past performance,” said the official, while justifying the decision to include the star
all-rounder in the top category in which six players feature.

Opening batsman Nasir Jamshed was promoted to category B, while left-handed Taufeeq Umar suffered a fall to C.

Kamran Akmal, ignored last year, features in the C category along with fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan and opener Ahmed Shahzad.

Wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed, who was in category C last year, failed to get a contract. He was placed in the stipend category along with eight other players.

Monthly retainer

Category A: Rs359,375

Category B: Rs251,562

Category C: Rs143,750

Stipend:       Rs71,875

Test appearance 

Category A: Rs440,000

Category B: Rs385,000

Category C: Rs330,000

ODI appearance

Category A: Rs363,000

Category B: Rs275,000

Category C: Rs220,000

Twenty20 appearance

Category A: Rs275,000

Category B: Rs220,000

Category C: Rs165,000

Central contracts

Category A (5)

Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Younus Khan, Shahid Afridi,

Category B (8)

Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Abdur Rehman, Shoaib Malik, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Gul

Category C (8)

Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Aizaz Cheema, Adnan Akmal, Faisal Iqbal, Ahmed Shahzad

Stipend (9)

Sarfaraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil, Umar Amin, Zulifqar Babar, Asad Ali, Harris Sohail, Anwar Ali

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.