The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is under scrutiny following a decision to increase salaries for international players while simultaneously reducing the budget for domestic cricketers. This move comes after Pakistan's underwhelming performances in recent international tournaments.
The PCB's Board of Governors approved a 37% pay raise for centrally contracted international players for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The annual budget has been increased to PKR 1,173.49 million (approximately INR 35.41 crore).
Pakistan's recent performances in international tournaments have been disappointing.
According to PTI, an unnamed source stated that the budget for domestic player contracts has been reduced by nearly 34%.
This decision is particularly noteworthy given Pakistan’s recent performances. The men’s team failed to advance beyond the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. Additionally, they suffered a 0-2 Test series defeat to Bangladesh and drew 1-1 with the West Indies at home.
The PCB has also decided to take over the management of 12 first-class venues, assuming responsibility for pitch preparation and maintenance, allocating PKR 93.6 million (Rs 2.808 crore) to this end.
The board will spend an additional PKR 6 billion to continue infrastructure upgrades at three major venues: Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Stadium in Karachi, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This follows the PKR 18 billion allocated in the previous fiscal year for the same purpose.
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