Akhtar wants central contract system for Pak players to be performance based

Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has called for a performance based central contract system for the players in the country, adding that the cricketers needed to change their approach towards the game.

According to the Daily Times, the controversial pacer admitted that there needed to be a level of accountability for the players as well, even as he advocated increased pay for the national team and domestic players.

Stating that players needed to be paid more as cricket boards make enough money because of them, Akhtar however, said that if a player does not perform up to mark he should be demoted in the central contract category immediately.

Predicting that players would be forced to reconsider their playing options with more money coming into cricket because of the Twenty20 foreign leagues such as Indian Premier League (IPL), Akhtar also said that there were several recent examples where top players decided to quit other formats and focus on T20 cricket to prolong their careers.

The fast bowler also said that he is astonished why a talented player like Muhammad Aamir needed to do something wrong to earn money given that there is a lot of cash in the game nowadays, adding that Aamir could have earned wealth beyond his imagination if he had only got a IPL contract and played for an English county.

Akhtar further said that players needed to change their attitude and be more positive and aggressive.