The centrally contracted pakistan players are set to witness a major hike in their match fees in the red ball category in the 2026/27 season.
The players who will be selected in track A and B will get monthly retainers of 4.8-5 million PKR.
The Track C players who will only be a part of the T20I side will receive upto 1.2-1.5 million PKR.
Centrally contracted Pakistan players in the red ball Track A category are set to see an increase in their match fees and will also be given a boost in their monthly salaries for the 2026/27 cycle.
A reliable source in the Pakistan Cricket Board said a committee that includes white ball and red ball head coaches, Mike Hesson and Sarfaraz Ahmed, had finalised drafts for the new contracts.
He said that the PCB had laid emphasis on more financial rewards for those players who will be in the Track A category playing Test cricket.
“Their match fees is expected to be around 1.5 million PKR while their monthly retainer will be in range of 4 million rupees before taxes. Previously in the last contracts players were given a test match fees of around 800,000 PKR," said the source.
Interestingly they are indications that the PCB might not release the names and categories of players who are given central contracts which would be a first in Pakistan cricket and has already led to criticism of the board.
The source said the players who get contracts in A and B categories, meaning those are selected to play Test and white ball formats will be paid the most as apart from their match fees they will get monthly retainers of around 4.8 to 5 million PKR.
The source said the board has also added new financial bonuses for winning ICC and Asia Cup events with players guaranteed a 500 percent bonus of their match fees if they win an ICC event and 300 percent for a Asian level event.
Interestingly the players who are given contracts only in Track C category, reserved for those who will only play T20 and franchise based leagues, will get a monthly retainer of around 1.2 to 1.5 million PKR.
This is the first time the PCB has announced introduction of format based central contracts.
Players who are given contracts only in the Track B category (ODIS and T20s) will get up to 1.8 million monthly retainers.
The board has yet not said how many players will be getting these contracts.
