- An AB-category player will be able to earn approximately PKR 80 million annually, including ODI and Test match fees.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has prepared a plan to provide national cricketers with more attractive financial incentives in order to further improve the standard and importance of Test cricket.
According to sources, under the new policy, players who deliver outstanding performances in Test cricket will be able to receive financial benefits worth millions of rupees.
Sources say that a player attaining AB category status will be able to earn more than PKR 4.8 million per month, while his annual income through the retainer alone could reach approximately PKR 57 million. This amount will not include match fees.
According to sources, an AB-category player will be able to earn nearly PKR 80 million annually, including Test and ODI match fees. In addition, he will be allowed to participate in one Pakistan Super League (PSL) season and one foreign league, after which his total annual income could potentially reach PKR 150 million.
Under the new policy, AB-category players will also be eligible to play T20 Internationals if selected, while the doors of progress and opportunities will remain open for players in B and C categories as well.
Sources say that to further strengthen domestic cricket, a significant increase is also being made in the match fees of top players participating in first-class cricket. A top player could receive up to PKR 750,000 as match fee for a first-class match.
PCB has also decided to introduce a performance-linked bonus system. According to sources, players will be awarded an additional 500 percent of their match fee as a bonus for winning an ICC tournament, while a victory in an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tournament will earn them an additional 300 percent bonus.
According to sources, players in the B and C categories will also be able to get opportunities to play Test cricket when needed. C-category players will be required to play at least 10 T20 matches in Pakistan in order to be eligible to participate in foreign leagues.
The issuance of NOCs for foreign leagues has also been linked to fitness. A C-category player will be granted an NOC for a foreign league only after passing a fitness test. Meanwhile, D-category players will receive a retainer of PKR 1 million, and they will also be considered for Pakistan A team tours.
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