The Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to finalise the six monthly central contracts for 2012 with an official confirming to PakPassion.net that discussions have been complicated and drawn out.

By Saj Sadiq (24th February, 2012)

The Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to finalise the six monthly central contracts for 2012 with an official confirming to PakPassion.net that discussions have been complicated and drawn out.

Central contracts are awarded by the Pakistan Cricket Board twice a year in 4 categories. Category A being the highest paid, followed by Category B and Category C and a Stipend category awarded to young up and coming cricketers who are on the fringes of national selection.

With March just around the corner, the names of the players who have been awarded contracts have still not been announced and a PCB official confirmed that there had been added complications this time around in the finalising of the Central contracts due to the categorising of players who do not feature in all three formats for Pakistan.

PakPassion understands that there have been differences of opinion in the corridors of the PCB regarding senior players who do not represent Pakistan in all three formats and whether they should be reduced from Category A or Category B contracts, due to their non availability in every format for Pakistan.

The official added that it would take another 7-10 days to finalise the contracts, but that the format of the categories would continue. “It all depends on what is decided regarding the players who aren’t featuring in all of the formats and whether they are demoted or retained at the current level.”

The official also added that the Stipend category will still be in place as this was a great incentive to youngsters who are not too far away from the senior team to continue to improve and keep knocking on the door of international selection. “The PCB are keen to encourage youngsters and the Stipend contract category is a good incentive for those youngsters.”

The official further added that pay increases would be implemented in all 4 categories although the amounts had not yet been finalised.