PCB Increases Annual Fees for Departmental Cricket Teams

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced major changes to the departmental cricket system by increasing annual team fees and setting minimum salary requirements for players.

Under the new policy, Grade One departmental teams will now have to pay an annual fee of Rs. 15 million. For Grade Two, the annual fee has been set at Rs. 4.2 million for Gold teams and Rs. 4 million for Silver teams.

The revised policy has raised concerns among several departments, as they already bear administrative and financial expenses. The continuous increase in annual fees is being viewed as an additional burden, with the fee previously standing at Rs. 3 million before being increased to Rs. 5 million and now Rs. 15 million.

The PCB has also introduced a clear payment structure for players. Grade One players must receive at least Rs. 125,000 per month, which amounts to Rs. 1.5 million annually. Grade Two Gold players will be paid a minimum monthly salary of Rs. 75,000, while Silver category players must receive at least Rs. 50,000 per month.

Departments have also been directed to sign contracts with players for a minimum period of one year. The move is aimed at bringing more clarity to employment terms and payment obligations in departmental cricket.

The new financial structure will apply to the President’s Trophy Grade One First-Class tournament, the President’s Cup One-Day tournament, and the President’s Trophy Grade Two Gold and Silver competitions.

For Grade One matches, the match fee has been fixed at Rs. 10,000, while reserve players will receive Rs. 5,000. The daily allowance has also been set at Rs. 5,000. In Grade Two, players will receive a match fee of Rs. 5,000 and a daily allowance of Rs. 4,000.

The PCB has called an important meeting on departmental cricket on June 29, where the new policy and its possible impact on departments will be discussed.