A+ category domestic player can earn over PKR 3 million
Players have opportunity to earn as high as PKR 3.2 million, which is 83 per cent more than 2019-20.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The philosophy of professionalism and its connection with performance, which, in turn, provides big rewards and incentives to the best-performing cricketers, is the essence of the 2020-21 domestic cricket season, which commences on 30 September, said an official press release by the PCB.
Once the lowly paid top domestic cricket performers now have the opportunity to earn as high as PKR3.2million, which is 83 per cent more than 2019-20, and as low as PKR1.8million, still a seven per cent increase from what the players in the highest category received last year.
These player earnings can been calculated following the announcement of the 2020-21 domestic cricket schedule, that provides the best of the best cricketers the opportunity to feature in all 10 National T20 Cup, 10 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and 10 Pakistan Cup matches.
With each of the 10 A+ category players to receive PKR150,000 as monthly retainer for 12 months and a match fee of PKR40,000 for National T20 Cup and Pakistan Cup each, and PKR60,000 for Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, players maintaining and displaying high levels of professionalism throughout the season will earn PKR3.2million.
And, this doesn’t stop here. Players can increase their earnings if they reach the finals, which will guarantee them additional match fee as well as share in the prize moneys.
Similarly, monthly retainer of D category domestic players is PKR40,000 but they will get the same match fee as the highest category player. This, in turn, means any D category player who features in all the 30 First XI league matches will earn PKR1.8million. These numbers will increase if a player’s side reaches the finals as this will mean more matches and share in prize moneys.
This earning is more than seven per cent of what domestic contracted players received in the 2019-20 season. Last year, all the domestic contracted First XI players had received a flat monthly retainer of PKR50,000 and match fee of PKR40,000 for white-ball cricket and PKR75,000 for red-ball cricket.
Director - High Performance, Nadeem Khan: “While finalising the 2020-21 domestic calendar, we not only had an eye on the three global white-ball events, we were also mindful that we had to improve our contracts that must benefit the players financially and encourage them to further raise the levels of their fitness and form so they can also stake claims in the franchise and national sides.
“The PCB is aware that Pakistan cricketers are not the highest-paid in the world, but it is our endeavour to slowly and gradually improve their contracts so that they can get best returns for their talent and also plan their futures.
“PCB generates its funds and revenues through cricket and it is appropriate that a large chunk of these funds are reinvested into development and cricketers.
“I am confident that domestic cricketers will see these enhancements as a morale and confidence booster, and they will not only aim to perform better than last year but this will introduce an element of competition between these players in pursuit of improved contracts next year.”
2020-21 enhanced monthly retainer structure:
Category A+ = 10 players, PKR150,000 per month
Category A = 38 players, PKR85,000 per month
Category B = 48 players, PKR75,000 per month
Category C = 72 players, PKR65,000 per month
Category D = 24 players, PKR40,000 per month
Categories will be decided following discussions with the national selection committee
PCB 2020-21 domestic schedule at a glance:
National T20 Cup 1st XI (33 matches) – 30 September to 18 October; Multan and Rawalpindi
National T20 Cup 2nd XI (15 matches) – 1-8 October; Lahore
National U19 One-Day Tournament (31 matches) – 13 October to 2 November; Lahore, Muridke and Sheikhupura
National U19 Three-Day Tournament (16 matches) – 5-29 November; Lahore, Muridke and Sheikhupura
HBL PSL 2020 (4 matches) – 14, 15 and 17 November; Lahore
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 1st XI (31 matches) – 25 October to 5 January 2021; Karachi
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2nd XI (30 matches) – 18 October to 13 December; Karachi
Pakistan Cup 1st XI (33 matches) – 8-31 January 2021; Karachi
Pakistan Cup 2nd XI (15 matches) – 16-24 December; Karachi
