The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a substantial increase in the monthly retainers for captain Babar Azam, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, and wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan.
These three players, placed in category A, are set to receive Rs4.5 million per month, marking an impressive 202% raise compared to the previous year.
This development follows four months of negotiations between the PCB and the players, marking the first time they will receive a portion of Pakistan's share from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The PCB stated, "PCB has successfully negotiated a three-year central contract deal with its senior players that will run from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, in which 25 cricketers will be offered a deal."
Under this agreement, players are categorized into four groups, with Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi occupying the top tier.
In category B, players like Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan are expected to earn a reported salary of Rs3 million.
Category C includes Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique, with a monthly salary of Rs1.5 million.
Category D encompasses players such as Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usama Mir, and Zaman Khan, with a monthly salary of Rs750,000.
The PCB has also increased player match fees, with a 50% increment for Test matches, 25% for one-day internationals, and 12.5% for Twenty20 matches.
In a departure from the previous year, the PCB has merged red-ball and white-ball national contracts.
Additionally, players have been granted the freedom to participate in two foreign leagues each season. The financial model for the three-year contract will remain fixed, with player performance reviews scheduled every 12 months.
