PCB Boosts Central Contracts Budget by 37% for Cricketers

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed a substantial increase in the budget allocated for central contracts, elevating the annual retainer pool for national cricketers by 37%, reaching approximately Rs 1.173 billion.

Sources indicate that the updated central contracts, anticipated to be disclosed in the coming days, will encompass 30 players, up from 25 in the previous year.

Conversely, the financial plan for men’s domestic cricket contracts has been adjusted downwards by 34%, decreasing from Rs 684 million to Rs 450 million.

Increased Support for Women’s Cricket

The PCB is also poised to make considerable progress in bolstering women’s cricket.

The number of centrally contracted women players is set to rise from 16 to 24, with their combined retainer amount seeing a remarkable surge of 121%, totaling Rs 69 million.

The budget dedicated to women’s domestic contracts has also experienced a slight increase of 4%, amounting to Rs 37.2 million.

Investment in Infrastructure and Resources

To enhance the standard of domestic cricket, the PCB will assume responsibility for the management of 12 additional first-class grounds.

The board has earmarked Rs 93.6 million for ground upkeep and pitch preparation, to be supervised by newly appointed personnel.

Furthermore, Rs 444 million has been designated for human resources, covering new hires, salary adjustments, and employee benefits.

A significant portion of the budget, amounting to Rs 6 billion, has been allocated for ongoing infrastructure improvements at three major venues: Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Bank Stadium in Karachi, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Simultaneously, preparations are underway to finalize the budget for the next Pakistan Super League (PSL) season. Overall, the PCB’s current financial blueprint exhibits a healthy surplus of Rs 2.5 billion.