Contracted players speak to PakPassion.net and express their disappointment with  non-payment of their fees from as far back as December 2013.

By Saj Sadiq (20th April, 2014)

As an employee one of the main reasons you work, is for the money. Despite how much you supposedly love your job and the social aspect of most jobs, the bottom line is that your salary puts food on the table.

However, as a Pakistani cricketer earning a salary is one of life's major complications. There's no guarantee of how much you'll get paid or indeed when you will get paid. Contracts, like chairmen and like coaches come and go and there appears to be a rather random methodology used when awarding central contracts. Seniority and performances are generally the criteria used when awarding central contracts but that is debatable given some of the names who end up as contracted players.

Nearly five months into 2014, the award of central contracts for the year are yet to be finalised. When they will be finalised is anyone's guess. Senior Board officials have stated in recent times that the central contracts are due to be announced. However nothing has been communicated, although it has been suggested that the latest batch of contracts will mean less players being awarded a contract and also the period of the central contract will be for six months instead of the current twelve month period.

Speaking under the assurance of anonymity one of the current contracted players stated to PakPassion.net "the situation regarding central contracts is worrying. I've not had any payment since last December and the only payments that have been made to players have been international match fees. Any contracted player not playing for Pakistan or not included in an international squad has not had a single payment this year. It's difficult to comprehend just what is going on. Nearly five months into the year and we are no further forward. The situation is a total mess and all the players are unhappy with it."

Another contracted player added "I've been waiting for notification from the Board regarding my central contract but I've not heard anything. I've tried to contact the relevant people but I've just been told that I will hear in due course. The situation is unacceptable really as I have no idea when I will be paid by the Board. The situation just seems to be getting worse year on year and there seems to be no planning regarding central contracts. As players we abide by the rules of the PCB but when it comes to our welfare there is very little appreciation by the Board. As players we don't have anywhere to turn to either and it's just a case of waiting and seeing what happens every year."

A third contracted player in the same situation was even more direct and vociferous than his team mates and stated "It's about time there is a player's union in Pakistan. You would never see such a situation occurring in Australia or England where there are player's unions present and working on behalf of the players. At the moment the cricketers in Pakistan are without any support, if we voice our concerns to the relevant people we are seen as trouble makers and issued with a showcause notice. We need a responsible figure to head up a player's union and a forum where we can raise our concerns and have them heard."

"Currently we are just a bunch of individuals with the same grievances but we are isolated and have to represent ourselves, but if we can collate our issues and problems and have them presented and put forward by our player's union then that will change the landscape of Pakistan cricket and assist in improving our conditions, pay structure and many other things that are affecting us as cricketers in Pakistan."

Whilst talk of a player's union has been circulating in Pakistan cricket for a number of years, there still appears to be a sense of apprehension and reluctance to set this up, perhaps due to fear of reprisals. However the issue of central contracts is just one of a number of issues that a player's union in Pakistan could address and for that reason alone a player's union is a must, sooner rather than later.

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