Central contracts: Old guns benefit, upcoming talent grieves

Cricketers snubbed from PCB’s payroll disappointed on being left out.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to exclude 19 players from its payroll has been met with disappointment, with most of the rejects boasting good performances in the domestic circuit to back their case.

Almost half-way into the year, the PCB finally announced the list of central contracts with out-of-form Shahid Afridi and Younus Khan featuring in the top category.

However, aspiring players like Akbar Rehman were unable to impress the board’s committee that finalised the 30-player list.

Rehman was the top run-scorer in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, the country’s premier domestic tournament, after aggregating 986 runs, including three centuries. However, the 29-year-old’s show was not enough to nudge the board.

Similarly, another rising batsman Sharjeel Khan, 23, was dropped from the stipend category in which he featured last year.

Similarly, 25-year-old fast bowler Imran Khan was also dropped from the stipend category despite finishing as the third highest wicket-taker with 50 scalps in the recently-held President’s Cup.



“It’s really embarrassing for us,” said a player on condition of anonymity. “Domestic performance is said to be one of the major criterion for awarding contracts but it wasn’t followed properly. The list is in front of everyone in which players who were unimpressive in both international and domestic events were graced with central contracts.

“The board stopped us from participating in the Bangladesh Premier League and instead of compensating us for the loss they dropped us from the stipend category,” said another player while referring to the board’s decision to refuse NOCs for the T20 league in Bangladesh in January.

A disappointment for youngsters: Mohsin 

Former chief selector and coach Mohsin Khan welcomed the announcement of central contracts but raised reservations on the division of players.

“Some players did not get the categories which they deserved and some undeservingly were named in the top categories,” said Mohsin without naming the players. “The cut in the stipend category is also a disappointment as the purpose of this group is to encourage the upcoming players, which is very important.”

However, a senior PCB official, who was part of the committee that finalised the list, said the number of players was decreased after directives from the top management.

“We were asked to give 30 names because of which we had to ignore some players. They shouldn’t be disappointed as they can still be included in the payroll.”

Last year in May, the board announced a total of 42 players, 21 centrally contracted and as many players in the stipend category. The number was increased to 49 by the end of the year.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2013.