Pak cricketers waiting for new central contracts, past four months' pay

Karachi, Apr 17(ANI): Pakistan cricketers are yet to get their new central contracts and the past four months' pay.

According to the Daily Times, Pakistan cricketers have not been paid their match fees, central-contract retainers and other dues for the series against Bangladesh, England and the Asia Cup.

Sources close to the national team told the paper that some players were concerned about the long delay in clearing payments by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"The dues include the match fees and other payments for the series against Bangladesh, England and the Asia Cup, while the central contracts given to the players last year also expired on December 31, and for the last four months, the players have also not got their central-contract monthly retainers," a source was quoted, as saying.

A PCB spokesperson, Nadeem Sarwar said cricketers will get their central contract retainer payments from January 1, 2012, whenever the board announces the new list of centrally contracted players.

Pakistan players have been subjected to long delays in clearance of their dues since the tenure of former chairman Ijaz Butt, who had admitted that PCB's financial position was weak.

A board official admitted that the earnings of the PCB were hit badly during Ijaz's tenure since the board could not earn much from 'home' series that had to be played at neutral venues.

"Yes, it is true that when Ijaz was in power, the financial health of the board was not very good, but in the last one and half years, a lot of money has come to the PCB as part of our share of the different ICC tournaments," he said. (ANI)