PCB rejects demand of players to further increase pay: sources

The PCB had announced a 25 per cent raise in the monthly central contract retainers and another 10 per cent hike in the match fees.

But before leaving for Sri Lanka last week, majority of the players had not signed the contracts amid reports that some of the seniors were not happy and wanted around 50 per cent raise in the contracts and match fees.

Sources in the Board said that the PCB has made it clear through the team management that any player who does not sign the contracts will be deprived of a lot of facilities.

"The message sent to the players is that the board does not have many income sources right now because of teams not touring Pakistan and as such it is not possible to give further raises so the players should accept the recent hikes and sign the contracts," one source said.

The PCB had announced the raise in pay after a three year gap and players have complained the hike was not keeping in mind the rising inflation.

But Pakistan's Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on a television channel that the players were happy with the raises given to them.

"There was no question of us not signing the contracts, wrong reports have come out. The Board has given decent raises and players will sign their contracts soon," he said.

The source said that Misbah changed his stance after the Board made it clear to him that it was not happy with reports that he had advised players not to sign the contracts.

"The Board made it clear any player who does not sign the contract will lose many facilities including insurance, medical and will be paid match fees in the lowest C category of the payment slab," the source said.

Misbah was recently removed as captain and player of the national Twenty20 team and the PCB appointed Mohammad Hafeez as skipper in his place.