Latif’s comments spark debate over player pay in Pakistan

• Rashid Latif believes that proposed amount in the new Central Contracts.
• Shaheen Afridi deserve to receive a significantly higher monthly salary.
• Category A includes top players like Azam.

Former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif expressed his opinion on Sunday, stating that the proposed amount in the new Central Contracts for the Pakistan cricket team players is inadequate.

Latif, aged 54, believes that exceptional players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi deserve to receive a significantly higher monthly salary than the currently suggested Rs4.5 million.

The PCB recently made significant changes to the Central Contracts for players. They decided to discontinue the red and white ball category and introduced four new categories named A, B, C, and D. Additionally, the number of players in the central contract has been reduced to 25 or 26 from the previous 33.

Under the new contracts, players are expected to receive a remarkable increase of approximately 50% in their match fees. Category A includes top players like Azam, Rizwan, and Afridi, who will now earn Rs4.5 million per month as retainers, which is almost four times higher than the previous offer.

In Category B, players will earn around Rs3 million, while those in Category C and D will receive salaries ranging from Rs0.75 to 1.5 million.

It’s worth noting that the contracts were initially set to expire on June 30, but they were extended for a month due to uncertainty surrounding the chairmanship in the PCB.