Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has enhanced monthly retainers and match fees of domestic contracted players. In its 58th meeting of Board of Governors (BoG) on Friday, the approval was given to increase domestic contract retainers up to 46 percent. According to the new monthly retainer structure, the PCB will again offer 192 leading domestic players (32 from each of the six Cricket Associations) performance-based contracts. But instead of paying a flat monthly retainer of PKR50,000 to all players, this season slab-wise payments will be made. In the new monthly retainer structure, Category A+ (10 players) will get Rs.150,000 per month, Category A (38 players) will get Rs.85,000 per month, Category B (48 players) will get Rs.75,000 per month, Category C (72 players) will get Rs.65,000 per month and Category D (24 players) will get Rs.40,000 per month. In addition to the revised monthly retainers, the players will also be paid match fees from Rs.60,000 to Rs.5000 for representing the playing eleven while reserves will get from Rs.24,000 to Rs.2000 per match in
domestic circuit.

PCB CEO Wasim Khan said: “The PCB had repeatedly spoken about improving domestic retainers year-on-year which we are committed to doing and have backed up this year. We very much see this as the start. “Overall, we have increased our investment by 46 per cent in our domestic contract retainers, as compared to last year. We have also created a category based retainer system that will better reward and incentivise the high-performing cricketers. The PCB is optimistic this model will further enhance competitiveness amongst the players, which, in turn, will contribute in the overall uplifting of our domestic cricket.”

Budget 2020-21: The BoG approved a Rs.7.76billion operating expenditure budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, which is a 10 percent reduction from the 2019-20 budget as part of the PCB’s austerity, robust financial management and belt-tightening exercise. Without compromising and reducing any activities from the 2019-20 activities, the PCB has allocated 71.2 percent of the overall budget for cricket-related activities.

This is to ensure that despite tough financial situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cricket remains unaffected and the PCB continues to invest in the future. The allocated 71.2 percent cricket budget includes 25.2 percent for domestic cricket (events and players/match officials/player support personnel contracts and High Performance Centre costs), 19.3 percent for international cricket (home/away series and player contracts), 5.5 percent for women’s cricket (home/away cricket and player contracts), 19.7 percent for HBL PSL 2021 and 1.5 percent for Medical and Sport Sciences.

PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said in a statement: “We have followed a strict cost-benefit and value for money policy while preparing this budget taking into consideration the economic situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget caters for all critical business of cricket activities, while the nice-to-have activities have been set aside as part of our cost-cutting measures and to protect our reserves for the future. I am also grateful to the BoG for approving the capital expenditure budget, which is aimed at enhancing and improving our infrastructure so that we can provide better experience and facilities to our fans and cricketers, and also develop and upgrade our high performance centres across the country.”

PCB Code of Ethics: In line with Article 44(d) of the PCB Constitution 2019 and with an aim to safeguard the integrity and the reputation of the PCB as the custodian of the game in Pakistan, the BoG approved the PCB Code of Ethics, which deals with matters such as conflict of interest, declaration of interests and confidentiality. All BoG Members, Committee Members and PCB Staff Members will now be bound and required to comply by the Code, which will also be enforced at the Cricket Association level.

HBL Pakistan Super League 2020: The BoG congratulated the PCB management for the successful staging of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 until it was postponed on March 17 due to Covid-19 pandemic. The 30 completed matches were played over four venues with more than 500,000 spectators crossing turnstiles to watch live action.

The BoG was informed that the PCB was planning to stage the remaining four matches later in the year, while it plans to add a fifth venue in Peshawar for the 2021 edition, which is scheduled to be held in February and March 2021. The BoG approved to set-up a dedicated HBL PSL Department by separating it from the PCB’s Commercial Department. The BoG also approved the model constitution for Cricket Clubs, which is in line with the PCB Constitution 2019 and Model Constitutions for Cricket and City Cricket Associations, as well as the Club affiliation and operation rules. The BoG expressed satisfaction on the steps taken and processes followed prior to sending the Pakistan men’s national cricket team to England, but expressed concerns on the number of positive tests. On the basis the Covid-19 and cricket is likely to co-exist in the foreseeable future, the BoG advised the PCB to put in place stricter measures to ensure health and safety of all its elite cricketers.