PCB considering ' performance based pay' for Pak players after 'disastrous' CT campaign

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly mulling over introducing a performance based pay package for players in the wake of the national team's disastrous performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in England.

Although PCB has since last year twice given pay raises to the players in their central contracts and match fees, this has not reflected in their performances, with Pakistan losing in all its three group matches to crash out of the tournament, The Nation reports.

According to a PCB source, despite the presence of confusion over the appointment of an interim chairman following the suspension of chairman Mohammad Zaka Ashraf by the Islamabad High Court, the Board officials are thinking as to whether a performance based pay package can be introduced for the players or not.

Stating that PCB rewards players with bonuses for wins and individual performances, the source further said that the board is now thinking that the payment slab system should be according to players' performance in series and tournament-to-tournament basis instead of long-term contracts.

The source further said that under the prospective pay package, players who do well should be rewarded accordingly while those who do not perform up to expectations should get a lesser pay package regardless of their seniority.

Although at present the players who are given central contracts are assured of monthly retainer payments in three categories regardless of whether they are selected to play for Pakistan or not, there have however, been increased calls for the dumping of senior players like Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez in view of their poor show at Champions Trophy.

According to present pay scales, top category players like captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal will make around 1.2 million rupees from the tour to England while those in category B will make around 850,000 rupees, the report added.