Despite a reduction in the number of teams, leading to a lesser number of matches in the reformed domestic structure, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will inject over Rs. 1 billion this season.
A heavy chunk from it has been allocated for the welfare of players by providing them unprecedented remunerations, based on enhanced retainers, match-fees, allowances, and prize money which can bring a spike of more than Rs. 2 million in a player’s bank statement over the course of the upcoming season.
As per the new model, the six Cricket Associations will provide year-long contracts to 32 players each to provide them a stable income. The 192 contracted players will earn Rs. 600,000 per annum on the basis of Rs. 50,000 monthly retainers.
Previously, the regional cricketers at the first-class level were solely reliant on the match-fees.
The PCB, this season, has also bettered their per match remunerations. For a better understanding, a breakdown is provided below:
|
Tournament |
Season 2019-20 |
Season 2018-19 |
|
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) |
Playing XI: 75,000 Non-Playing XI: 30,000 |
Playing XI: 50,000 Non-Playing XI: 12,000 |
|
Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament |
Playing XI: 40,000 Non-Playing XI: 16,000 |
Playing XI: 35,000 Non-Playing XI: 8,750 |
|
National T20 Cup |
Playing XI: 40,000 Non-Playing XI: 16,000 |
Playing XI: 30,000 Non-Playing XI: 7,500 |
*All figures in Rs.
The players turning out for the Cricket Associations’ second XIs, U19s, and city cricket associations will also see a rapid surge in their earnings.
|
Breakdown of match-fee for second XI sides |
||
|
|
Season 2019-20 |
Season 2018-19 |
|
Non first-class tournament |
Playing XI: 30,000 Non-Playing XI: 12,000 |
Playing XI: 8,000 Non-Playing XI: 2,000 |
|
One-Day Cup |
Playing XI: 15,000 Non-Playing XI: 6,000 |
|
|
T20 Cup |
Playing XI: 15,000 Non-Playing XI: 6,000 |
|
*All figures in Rs.
|
Breakdown of match-fee for U19 sides |
||
|
|
Playing XI |
Non-Playing XI |
|
Three-Day |
10,000 |
4,000 |
|
One-Day |
5,000 |
2,000 |
*All figures in Rs.
The 32 contracted players will also receive daily allowances, along with bed and breakfast in shape of three and four-star accommodations, lunches at the venues and economy-class flights (when traveling inter-province).
The prize money for the domestic events has also been increased manifold. The winning prize money for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has been increased by 233 per cent, whereas there has been a surge of 150 and 100 per cent in the prize money of Pakistan Cup and National T20 Cup.
The winners of the country’s premier first-class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, will be awarded Rs. 10million and the runner-up will get Rs. 5million. Another Rs. 5million will be handed out to tournament’s top-performers and the man-of-the-final will take Rs. 50,000 home.
The winners of the Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament and the National T20 Cup will get Rs. 5million, and the runner-up will bag half of it. The man-of-the-final for both tournaments will be awarded Rs. 35,000.
The top-performers for the apex one-day tournament will get a share from the pool of Rs. 250,000. For the T20 tournament, it would be from Rs. 100,000.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said:
The new structure along with enhancing the quality of cricket at the first-class level is designed to improve the earning levels of our domestic cricketers.
It is alarming that for such a long time the cricketers at this level were deprived of the income that they rightfully deserve. Our aim is to develop cricket as a career-option for the young and upcoming cricketers. The PCB, along with a focus on first-class players, wants the players at the lower rungs of the structure to take decent earnings home.
I am hopeful that this increase in the income levels will not only encourage the cricketers at the periphery to work hard, but will also attract new players to the game.
