Shoaib signs central contract
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan’s enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has finally signed the central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Shoaib, who is struggling at present with an hamstring strain injury, signed his contract and sent it through his lawyer to the board on Wednesday.
“It was never an issue with us because he just wanted some time to go through the contract properly since he has several individual endorsement and sponsorship contracts,” PCB Director Abbas Zaidi told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.
Shoaib had not signed the contract when the rest of the 14 players who were offered the contracts did so before the team left for Australia.
His refusal to sign the contract led to lot of speculations and Zaidi confirmed that the board had revised some clauses in Shoaib’s contract because of his prior commitments.
“Shoaib has commitments with a number of sponsors and is also playing county cricket next year. He was a bit uncomfortable with some particular clauses. Which have now been revised to the satisfaction of the board and his lawyers.”
Shoaib had reservations over clauses stating that a player would have to seek clearance from the board before endorsing any products and was also bound to endorse sponsors who were tied up with the International Cricket Council.
The PCB has placed only Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib in the top bracket of the contract which gives them a monthly retainer of Rs 200,000 per month even if they are not playing for Pakistan.
The players in the central contacts B category are getting a salary of Rs 125,000 and those in category C Rs 75,000.
However, while giving out the seven month contracts the board had made it clear that players would have to be hundred per cent fit to qualify again for the contracts and could face penalties if they were found unfit during the seven months period.
Given the spate of injuries on the Australian tour it will be interesting to see how the board now handles the central contracts issue.
^ From www.jang.com.pk , The News.
So Shoaib also signs the contract!