Pakistan Cricket Board announces cash awards for national men's, women's teams

The PCB might be airing concerns over its financial health owing to no international cricket in the country since 2009 but the current caretaker Chairman, Najam Sethi has wasted no time in announcing bonus cash awards for the national men's and women's cricket teams.

The PCB, in a press release, said today that Najam Sethi has approved cash awards to the Pakistan men's and women's teams that have recently won laurels in the West Indies and England, respectively.

The men's team emerged victorious in a bilateral One-day and Twenty20 series in the West Indies, while the women's team won the qualifying tournament of the ICC for the next World Cup in Ireland and England.

"The performances of both our men's and women's teams merited a reward. The tenacity shown by the boys under Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez in the West Indies was quite remarkable. The women's team too has maintained an upwardly mobile trajectory and their achievement of finishing the ICC Qualifiers for the World T20 championship on top of the event is indeed commendable," Sethi was quoted in the press release.

"The PCB management is positive that the cash rewards and recognition shall inspire both teams to keep it up and notch greater accomplishments," he added.

PCB has announced Rs 4,00,000 each for Misbah, Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi for their performances in West Indies and 2,00,000 each for every member of the team and 1,00,000 each for the team officials and support staff.

It decided to award Pakistan women's squad Rs 1,00,000 apiece, while the team officials to be given Rs. 50,000 each.

Interestingly, since taking over Sethi has been talking repeatedly about the financial position of the board and has announced expenses to be curtailed and employees to be reduced in the board.

The PCB had time and again said that it suffered financial setbacks as no Test playing nation has visited Pakistan for security reasons after the Sri Lankan team was attacked by Militants in Lahore in March, 2009.