New pay structure to benefit vast majority of players: Nadeem Khan

Nadeem Khan also reveals plans on improving cricket at the grassroot level.

June 30, 2020
PCB Director High Performance Nadeem Khan. Photo: APP

The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) Director High Performance, Nadeem Khan, on Monday said that the new pay structure for domestic tournaments would benefit 88 per cent of the players.

"We have increased salaries, although match fee has slightly been slashed but 88 per cent of the players will benefit from the new structure" Nadeem told reporters in an online session.

Nadeem said that the new structure will take into account performances and experience, which will provide an added incentive to those in the lower categories. 

"Those in the D category will face some loss but they have the chance to perform this season and rise to other categories. It’s an incentive for juniors and because it is performance-based, you will see juniors in higher categories who performed well last season."

“The basic purpose of the new pay structure is that previously both juniors and seniors were getting Rs50,000 each, which does not happen in any other field. In the new package, there are incentives for players as match numbers will increase and this will overcome the deficit which players could have faced due to slightly reduced match fee,” Nadeem said.

"In the current system if you combine salary and match fee then players will earn substantially higher on annual basis,” Nadeem clarified.

Furthermore, Nadeem detailed the changes made to club level cricket and how they would benefit game at the grassroots. 

“We have formed three categories of clubs. It will automatically eliminate bogus clubs. We are giving playing rights under easy conditions so a club which wants to play will get registration and those clubs which want voting rights will face tough conditions,” said Nadeem. 

“They have to have at least one level-I coach and meet some other expenses. If you have a qualified coach so you can also run an academy along with the club and generate revenue.

“There is no doubt conditions set for clubs seeking full member status are tough. Chances are that we may see only 30-40 clubs meeting those standards. Even if just 10 clubs meet the criteria we have no issue with it. But clubs seeking full member status have to fulfil all the requirements,” the former left-arm spinner said.

Nadeem, however, said that the criteria to get associate membership was rather easy. “There is no such issue for clubs seeking associate membership of district associations,” he said.

“One condition, however, is a bit demanding — hiring a Level I coach. The PCB will definitely come forward to support clubs looking for Level I coaches as we need uniformity and professionalism. It is also good for former first-class players who need jobs. The High Performance Centre will also train these coaches,” he said.

When asked how a club can meet the conditions of raising an under-13 team and having its own gym when the PCB itself has failed to have one for its regional academies in the last 19 years, Nadeem said: “This is not a must for associate members but for clubs seeking full membership. “No one will stop clubs from voting or playing inter-district tournaments if they do not have an Under-13 team or a gym. It does not matter if only 10 clubs in Pakistan have such facilities,” he said.

Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News

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