PCB raises salaries for centrally contracted Pakistan women cricketers

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has changed its stance towards the women cricketers and has significantly raised the salaries of the centrally contracted players. However, the contract has been handed over to the lesser number of players this time. While a total of 17 cricketers were contracted in 2018, the number has come down to 10 now but with an increase in remuneration.

All three categories – A, B and C – come with higher pay now compared to the earlier contract. A hike of 20%, 18.5% and 18% has been given to the three categories respectively. According to the recent contract details, Sana Mir and Nida Dar who are in the A category will now earn PKR 120,000 (Rs 52,047). Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan have been demoted to B category and they will get PKR 94,800 (Rs 41,117). The players in the C category will earn PKR 70800 (Rs 30,708).

Interestingly, the length of the contract has also been increased from six months to one year now starting from July 1. However, these compensations are quite less when compared to the Indian Women cricketers. India’s top female players like Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav who are in A category earn Rs 50 lakhs. The rest of the two categories also get a huge sum of Rs 30 lakhs (B category) and Rs 10 lakhs ( C category) respectively.

More changes in PCB contract

Among other changes in the latest contract, the daily allowances in the training camps have doubled and the players will now be paid Rs 2000. The travel has also been upgraded for Pakistan Women cricketers and now they will be travelling in business class. Moreover, all the women cricketers will now be earning a match fee for each domestic game.

“The announcement of the new central contracts is a great story for the women’s game in Pakistan and indicates the exciting times that lie ahead for cricketers in the country. The women cricketers have shown tremendous improvement recently and this is reflected in the central contracts being offered to them, which are reward-and incentive-based,” the chief selector for the women’s team, Urooj Mumtaz was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Here are the centrally contracted players:

Category A – Sana Mir, Nida Dar.

Category B – Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Sidra Ameen, Sidra Nawaz.

Category C – Diana Baig Nahida.