Pakistan announces landmark central contracts, 200 per cent hike for Babar Azam, Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi

The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed a “momentous” three-year central contract deal with its international squads that will include players getting a proportion of International Cricket Council revenue.

There had been deadlock between the squads and the PCB for several months since the contracts expired on June 30, with the players asking for their share in the revenue the board gets from the ICC, the game’s governing body.

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Three-year Deal

The new three-year contract is backdated to July 1, 2023 but the cricket board said the performance of the players would be reviewed every 12 months.

“As many as 25 cricketers will be offered a momentous deal that will include a proportion of ICC revenue,” the PCB said in a statement on Wednesday.

It is the first time the PCB has merged the red-ball and white-ball contracts of the players, saying it is “aimed at promoting fairness and a transparent selection process.”

Each player in the four categories received a raise of more than 100 per cent. Three in the top category, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, will get a monthly retainer of $15,600.

“It is a historic deal,” skipper Babar said. “It has been a lengthy and, at times, challenging negotiation process, but I believe we have reached a fair and beneficial agreement for both parties.”

The players will receive a share of three per cent of ICC revenue, which will be around $1 million. The PCB will be earning around $34 million per year from the ICC.

Besides getting a monthly retainer, there is a raise of 50 per cent in match fees for players who feature in test matches, an increase of 25 per cent for ODIs and 12.5 per cent for T20s.

The PCB also agreed that the centrally contracted players can play in two other T20 leagues aside from the Pakistan Super League.

“I am pleased to announce that after lengthy negotiations the PCB has come to a financial agreement with the players,” said Zaka Ashraf, chairman of the PCB managing committee.

Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Hike: 202 per cent

Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan

Hike: 144 per cent

Category C: Imad Wasim and Abdullah Shafique

Hike: 135 per cent

Category D: Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmad, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan

Hike: 127 per cent