PCB Announces Increase in Withholdings and Match Fees for Domestic Players

The PCB has announced an increase in monthly fees and match fees for its domestic players, across all formats and levels, for the 2022-23 season.

In line with the new financial model, a player participating in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will now receive a match fee of 100,000 PKR, up from 60,000 PKR previously. Those who play the white ball tournaments – Pakistan Cup and National T20 – will now earn 60,000 PKR per game instead of 40,000 PKR.

Non-playing members of a team will receive 40,000 PKR and 20,000 PKR respectively per game of red and white ball cricket.

Pakistan’s national season started on August 30 with the National T20; those who participated did so without a contract. ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB’s home and high-performance center was waiting for the Board of Governors (BoG) to approve the new model. Those who played in the National T20 will receive their match fee under the new structure.

In total, the PCB will offer contracts to 192 players in five categories. Fifteen players will be in category A+, 35 in category A, 48 in category B, 70 in category C and 24 in category D. The board has not yet announced the names of the players under contract.

“Domestic cricket is the backbone of Pakistani cricket and we must continue to invest in it to make it a stronger and more attractive brand,” High Performance Director Nadeem Khan said in a press release. “In this relationship, I am grateful to the BoG for supporting and approving the management recommendations. I am sure that these new financial incentives will move our domestic cricket forward and help the PCB further close the gap with international cricket.

“Instalments and match fees have been increased to motivate and inspire cricketers to work harder throughout the year to maintain the required and expected levels of fitness and form, which forms the basis of the maintaining places in the contract list. In addition, the new incentives will also encourage them to give preference to our tournament over foreign leagues. No need to remind everyone that PCB domestic events are a pathway to selection in the national team.

In 2019, the PCB removed its traditional regional and departmental team model and reduced the national pipeline to six association teams representing the six provinces of the country. This resulted in the loss of over 120 players to play domestic cricket.

Currently, with six elite teams and six second XI teams, each with 16 players, the number of active domestic players stands at 192. Previously, it was over 300.

The PCB insisted that with its new financial model, a national player can earn much more than what they earned before. After the latest increase, if an A+ player plays all games of the season including the finals, he could earn 6.1 million PKR. The corresponding figure for a Category D player will be 4.3 million PKR.