EAST MEADOW, New York: India secured a six-run victory over Pakistan in a tightly contested T20 World Cup Group A match held at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. The defeat left Pakistani fans disheartened as their team, opting to bowl first after winning the toss, restricted India to a modest 119 runs on a challenging pitch affected by rain interruptions.
This loss compounded Pakistan’s recent setbacks, including a humiliating defeat to the USA earlier in the week. The co-host debutants triumphed over the 2022 finalists and 2009 champions in a thrilling Super Over encounter in Texas. Amidst these defeats, questions arose regarding the players’ commitment to the national team, highlighting the substantial salaries they receive despite Pakistan cricket’s decline in recent months.
The national cricket team players earn approximately Rs4 million as fixed income, excluding bonuses. Media reports reveal that category A players receive a monthly salary of Rs4.5 million, while category B players earn Rs3 million per month. Notably, recent contracts issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) witnessed significant salary increases across all categories, with category A players experiencing a 202% rise and category B players seeing a 144% increase.
The categorization of players is based on performance, with contracts announced by PCB in September of the previous year. Top players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Muhammad Rizwan are placed in category A, earning Rs4.5 million each month, while category B includes players such as Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah, earning up to Rs3 million monthly.
Players in categories C and D receive monthly salaries ranging from Rs750,000 to Rs1.5 million, with Imad Wasim in category C and Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, and Saim Ayub listed under category D. Additionally, players receive fixed match fees and awards across formats, contributing to their overall earnings.
Although Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the Super 8 stage are slim, they remain in contention. To secure qualification, they must defeat Ireland and Canada by significant margins to boost their run rate. Furthermore, they require Ireland and India to defeat the USA in their respective matches.
