Pakistan domestic players’ match fees slashed, facilities reduced even as PCB officials earn millions: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly slashing match fees of players in domestic cricket and reducing facilities. The board had recently spent billions of rupees for renovating stadiums in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

According to a PTI report, the PCB has reduced the match fees of cricketers participating in the upcoming National T20 Championship from 100,000 Pakistani rupees per match to 10,000 per match, with reserve players getting 5000 per match. The tournament begins on March 14. The report further states, citing sources, the head of domestic cricket in the PCB, Abdullah Khurrum Niazi, has been “reducing facilities” for domestic players in the last few months.

“The players who were first being offered accommodation at five-star and four-star hotels are now being offered cheaper accommodation. Air travel has also been reduced for them besides fees,” a source is quoted as saying.

Additionally, outstanding payments from last season are yet to be cleared for players and umpires. The board also hasn’t implemented an annual pension increase for former Test cricketers, as mandated by board policy. However, the administrators within the board continue to draw high salaries.

Hefty pay continues to be handed out to national selectors and even mentors appointed with five teams for the just-concluded Champions Cup – Misbah ul Haq, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq. Each are reported to be two-year contracts, and said to be paid around Rupees 5 million per month.

Meanwhile, the PCB has stated that it is still awaiting a “formal clarification” from the ICC on the issue of not having their representative on stage for the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Dubai. “We have filed a formal complaint with the ICC as what happened is unacceptable to us,” a PCB official said on Tuesday.