Pakistani cricketers under central contract in the red ball For the 2026–2027 cycle, the Track A category will get an increase in both match fees and monthly salary.
A committee including the head coaches of the white-ball and red-ball teams, Mike Hesson and Sarfaraz Ahmed, respectively, has finalized drafts for the new contracts, according to a trustworthy source in the Pakistan Cricket Board. According to him, the PCB has placed a strong focus on providing players who play Test cricket in the Track A category with more cash advantages.
“Their match fees is expected to be around 1.5 million PKR (approximately $5,390) while their monthly retainer will be in range of 4 million rupees (approximately $14,374) before taxes. Previously in the last contracts players were given a Test match fees of around 800,000 PKR,” PTI quoted the source as saying.
It’s interesting to note that there are hints that the PCB may not disclose the names and classifications of players who receive central contracts. This would be a first in Pakistani cricket and has already drawn criticism from the board.
According to the source, players who are contracted in A and B categories—that is, those who are chosen to play in white ball and Test formats—would receive the highest compensation since, in addition to their match payments, they will receive monthly retainers of between 4.8 and 5 million PKR.
According to the source, the board has also included additional financial incentives for winning ICC and Asia Cup events. If a player wins an ICC event, they will receive a 500 percent bonus of their match costs, and if they win an Asian level event, they would receive a 300 percent bonus.
It’s interesting to note that players who are contracted exclusively in the Track C category—which is reserved for players who will only play T20 and franchise-based leagues—would receive a monthly retainer of between 1.2 and 1.5 million PKR.
The PCB has never before announced the implementation of format-based central contracts. Players who are exclusively awarded contracts in the Track B category (ODIS and T20s) may receive monthly retainers of up to 1.8 million. The number of players who will receive these contracts has not yet been disclosed by the board.
