The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has drastically slashed match fees for players participating in the upcoming National T20 Cup. Players in the tournament will be paid match fees of PKR 10,000 (approx. US$ 35), a 75% fall from the last edition of the same tournament, where players were paid PKR 40,000 match fees.
This reduction is even more substantial compared to 2022, when players earned PKR 60,000 per match in the same tournament. Reserve players in the squad in this edition will be paid PKR 5,000 (approx. US$ 17.50) per match.
This decrease in match fees contrasts with the PCB’s overall spending trends under Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Last year, Chairman Naqvi stated that PCB funds should be used for the benefit of players and Pakistan cricket.
Since then, the PCB has invested in stadium improvements, hired and then dismissed foreign coaches at considerable expense, appointed mentors for PKR 5 million monthly, and significantly increased prize money for a domestic one-day tournament.
According to a PCB official, the decision to drastically reduce match fees for the National T20 Cup is not due to financial problems. Instead, the PCB believes that players have increased earning opportunities throughout the season due to more domestic tournaments, including the Champions T20 Cup.
The Champions Cup format, featuring five elite teams, is also used in 50-over and first-class tournaments. Because many players receive monthly salaries from departmental employment for tournaments like the President’s Trophy, the PCB believes this match fee reduction does not decrease their overall income.
The National T20 Cup will begin on March 14 and include 39 matches in Faisalabad, Lahore, and Multan, with the final in Faisalabad on March 27. Many top Pakistani international players will miss the tournament as they are in New Zealand for international matches.
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