‘Abe pehle bolne layak bano fir bolo’ – Fans tear apart PCB as reports of non-payment to domestic players emerge

Pakistan have one of the finest domestic structure and the selectors do find players who could shine when they play in the international arena. Moreover, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started hosting matches in their own country instead of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Ben Stokes-led team are in the country to take part in the three-match Test series, out of which, they have already won two. 

As things stand, reports emerged from ESPNCricinfo on December 15, Thursday, claiming that the board is yet to pay 192 domestic players their match fee and monthly retainers, rocking the entire cricketing world, who believed that the board is working actively to bring out the best from the domestic circuit. 

From Pakistan Super League to National T20 Cup, players who play for the Men in Green will have to come through the stages and it comes only after facing such a crisis, that they have to push PCB for the retainers. The reports claimed that the centrally contracted players receive retainers on time, although match fees are paid only in blocks after each series or tournament

Pakistan domestic players at ocean as Pakistan Cricket Board struggles

One has to agree that the PCB has put its players in the ocean, although one can argue that they produce the best players on the back of their well-structured domestic circuit. However, when it comes to retainers, according to the reports, it seems that PCB is struggling to pay its domestic players, partly because of organisational issues because of the approval from the board’s governors on an increment to the players. 

To add more, the Pakistani board offers contracts in five different categories with 15 players in Category A+, 35 players in Category A, 48 in Category B, 70 in Category C and 24 in Category D. The board came up with a new financial model and based on the same, players who are a part of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy receive a match fee of PKR 100,000. Players who are a part of the Pakistan cup and the National T20 receive PKR 60,000 while the non-playing members get PKR 40,000 in red-ball cricket and PRK 20,000 in white-ball cricket. 

As things stand, let us take a look at a few Twitter reactions to the reports: