Centrally contracted A-category Pakistan players express demand for a hike in match fees

Pakistan’s centrally contracted players that come under Category-A have come up with a demand to increase their match fees for the 2021-22 cycle. Sometimes back, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the key performance indicators for the players and certain parameters on which their evaluation would be based. After deciding on this basis, PCB came up with a list of centrally contracted players including 20 cricketers and three emerging players along them.

There has been a hike of 25-percent for players belonging to category A retainer but the match fees remains the same.  A 25 percent hike has also been made in the B category and the Test fees saw a rise of 15 percent. The ODIs have also seen a rise of 20 percent, on the other hand, T20Is saw a hike of 25 percent when compared to the last category changes.

Taking about the players falling in the C category, a major hike across all the formats was seen as they will receive a hike of 25 percent while their Test match fees saw a hike of 34 percent. A 50 percent rise has been made for the ODIs while a massive 67 percent hike has been announced for the T20Is. In the same line of events, the category A players are raising their voices for the increase in match fees.

The hike issue is yet to receive a response from the higher authorities of Pakistan

In the latest turn of events, it was reported that an experienced player took up the matter to the director of international cricket, Zakir Khan, and demanded a hike in match fees. However, there hasn’t been any progress on the matter yet.

“The equalisation of match fees means that all players who walk out together to represent Pakistan will receive the same match fees irrespective of which category they are in, or whether they have a central contract or not,” said PCB Chief executive Wasim Khan in a press release that came in July.

Talking about the Pakistan team, it is currently in West Indies and gearing up to play their 1^st Test of the series from August 12.