Pak cricketers sign central contracts 'conditionally' following PCB 'pay cut threat'

Karachi, June 14 (ANI): All the Pakistani cricketers who were offered central contracts with pay hikes, have conditionally signed them after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) warned that if they did not do so, they would be paid match fees of category C players.

Sources said PCB chief Zaka Ashraf asked the players to make up their minds about the contracts or they would be degraded to category C, reports the Daily Times.

"Zaka has made it clear that he is willing to listen to the players views about certain clauses when he will visit Galle for the first Test, but said that first they must sign the contracts or they will be paid match fees as C category players," a PCB source said.

The source confirmed that Misbahul Haq, Younus Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Gul were among the seniors who signed the contracts conditionally.

The board announced the new central contracts for 21 players and retainers for 21 others on May 26, two days before the team was scheduled to leave on the tour of Sri Lanka.

Although the board gave a 25 percent hike in the monthly retainers in the contracts of the players and another 10 percent hike in their match fees, some senior players had avoided signing the contract, as they were not satisfied with some of the clauses in it.

"The good thing is that the players have signed the contracts. It was made clear to them that it is not possible to give them anymore pay raises because of the board's financial position. But if the players have any reservations or queries about certain clauses that can be discussed with them," Zaka said. (ANI)