Pakistan team’s morale is boosted by completing a comprehensive clean sweep in the Test and One-day series in Zimbabwe and the victory has also increased its normal earnings by over 100 per cent.
This is a result of the performance based incentive programme introduced by the Pakistan cricket board (PCB) chief Lt. General Tauqir Zia before the team left for Zimbabwe.
Under this scheme which is incorporated into the players contract, there is an incentive of 20% extra payment for the team (i.e every player) off their normal earnings for each Test or One-dayer won.
This basically means that someone like Wasim Akram who played just four One-dayers in Zimbabwe will earn 80% more of the normal Rs 250,000 financial package he earns for playing in each One-day International.
The approximate package of Rs 250,000 includes his basic match fees, tour fees and additional fees. Under PCB’s performance based clause in the contract, Wasim and other players are entitled to earn 20% of their total package for winning every test and One-dayer.
This means that someone like Yousaf Youhana who played in both tests and all five One-dayers will earn 140% bonus on the total package he earns from these matches! More importantly the new performance based system also has a clause under which now the players who don’t feature in the playing eleven will get paid 50% of their normal fees even when they are not playing. And they are also entitled to the 20% incentive bonus for every match won.
Their has been a feeling in cricket circles that the PCB Chairman by introducing the performance based clause in the players contract has only increased the pressure on them. Some former players have said they would not have accepted such a condition in their contract as it only added the pressure on the players apart from their performances. Because the performance based clause does state that if the team (i.e each player) loses 20% of their total earnings for losing a test or One-dayer.
But the feeling in cricket circles now is that the PCB Chairman has taken a bold step by introducing this new payment system as it clearly conveys that poor performances will not be tolerated from individuals and as a team but good performances would be rewarded.
And most importantly no player or the team as a unit cannot take anything for granted now as the public expects them to perform to expectations. Apart from this, the Board has also persisted and enhanced the rewards for individual performances as follows.
For every 100 scored = Rs1,00,000; For a haul of five wickets in an innings Rs 100,000; For four dismissals in an innings by a wicketkeeper Rs 100,000; Four catches or run-out by a fielder Rs 100,000; For 200 or above in an innings Rs 250,000; For six or more wickets in an innings Rs 200,000.
Hopefully they will earn even more after the SA tour.