PCB approves major budget hikes for centrally contracted players, cuts in domestic cricketers' pay

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approved a substantial budget increase for centrally contracted national players for the 2025-26 season, even as earnings for domestic cricketers are set to decline.

According to sources within the PCB, the Board of Governors has passed a PKR 18.30 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Out of this, PKR 1,173.49 million has been allocated for central contracts and retainers for national players — a 37% increase compared to the previous year. The number of centrally contracted players will also be raised from 25 to 30.

This financial uplift comes despite Pakistan’s underwhelming performance across formats last year. The



national team failed to reach the knockout stages of the ICC T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy. In Test cricket, they suffered a home series loss to Bangladesh and drew a series against the West Indies. The 2-1 win over England remains their biggest highlight.

In contrast, domestic players will see a reduction in their earnings. The budget for domestic contracts has been slashed by nearly 34%, dropping from PKR 684 million to PKR 450 million. The PCB has also revamped the domestic structure, reducing the number of teams in the Quaid Trophy, which is the country’s top first-class competition, to eight. Additionally, the Champions Cup tournaments introduced last year have been scrapped.