LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistani players have been negotiating to finalise the terms for the central contracts for some time but the final announcement has once again been delayed due to the ongoing Asia Cup 2023.
Owing to their tough schedule as they currently participating in the Asia Cup, the Pakistan cricket team could not get enough time to conclude some last details.
Although the PCB announced massive remunerations in the contracts, the players want more freedom to play the franchise cricket of their choice.
The issues regarding revenue sharing and commercial rights in various forms of permission of the leagues are pending.
The PCB officials met the players in Hambantota during their three-match ODI series against Afghanistan but the contracts couldn't be signed.
The players and the board officials will once again meet to finalise the last details very soon.
It must be noted that the contracts expired on June 30 but were extended for a month due to uncertainty regarding chairmanship in the PCB.
The process of extending the contracts will continue until the new contracts are not announced.
The PCB has already announced the new contracts for the women's cricket team and domestic cricket.
Earlier, the PCB decided to end the red and white ball category from the Central Contracts.
The new contracts will now be distributed in four different categories, named A, B, C, and D, to the players, sources reported.
The PCB also decided to reduce the number of players — which was 33 in the last year — in the central contract to 25 or 26.
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.
