Cha-ching: Players set to earn more in new central contracts

PCB unveils list of 27 players with increased remunerations, win bonuses restored.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday that central contracts will be in effect from July 2015 to June 2016, with a total of 27 players being awarded the contracts in four different categories.

Captains of the Test, ODI and T20 formats — Misbahul Haq, Azhar Ali, and Shahid Afridi respectively — are all in Category A alongside seasoned Test batsman Younus Khan, all-rounder Shoaib Malik and batsman Mohammad Hafeez.

Former captain Malik has been rewarded for his consistent run since his comeback in ODI and T20 formats against Zimbabwe in May.

Malik has performed admirably in both formats and his record in ODIs since his return is especially impressive.

The national selection committee, in charge of awarding the contracts, continues to repose confidence in discarded off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. The 37-year-old, who was forced to remodel his bowling action in the aftermath of ICC’s suspension, is placed in Category B.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed, batsman Asad Shafiq, fast-bowlers Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Rahat Ali, and leg-spinner Yasir Shah are the other players in Category B.

Eight players are included in Category C. These include batsmen Haris Sohail, Fawad Alam, Shan Masood and Umar Akmal, who has been demoted from Category B. All-rounder Anwar Ali, middle-order batsman Mohammad Rizwan, fast bowlers Mohammad Irfan and Imran Khan have also been placed in this group.

Five players — batsmen Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin and veteran spinner Zulfiqar Babar — make up the numbers in Category D.

Remunerations increased, win bonuses restored

According to a PCB press release, the players are set to earn more than their previous contracts as remunerations — both the monthly retainers as well as the match fees — have been increased across the board.

After input from the team management, including that of Misbah, Azhar and bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed, win bonuses and performance-related incentives have also been restored.

Besides the bonuses for match wins against full-member countries, incentives have also been added for series wins and other performance-related objectives. However, while match
win bonuses will be paid even if a Test or ODI series is drawn, that will not be the case for T20s.

‘Ajmal has a role to play in limited-over cricket’

Chief selector Haroon Rasheed has defended his committee’s decision to award discarded off-spinner Ajmal a Category B contract. The Faisalabad spinner hasn’t featured in any of the three formats since his inauspicious return against Bangladesh last April.

Speaking exclusively to The Express Tribune, Rasheed stated: “In the shorter version [Ajmal] is still a threat. We still think that he has a role ahead. In limited overs cricket, Ajmal bowled well in the English cricket season,”

“It is important to remember that in the last 15-20 years, he has bowled with one action and now we must give him time to settle down with his remodelled action.”

Rasheed added that the players missing out on contracts, including all-rounder Sohail Tanvir and young opening batsmen Mukhtar Ahmed and Noman Anwar still have a lot to prove.

“There are many players who have to work hard in order to cement their spots,” he said. “Tanvir, Mukhtar and Noman need to overcome the flaws in their game. If they do that then they can be handed contracts later.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2015.

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