PCB may increase Test match fee for players

The Pakistan Cricket Board is contemplating increasing the Test match fees to discourage a growing trend of players preferring ODIs and T20 cricket over the longer version of the sport.

A PCB source said that after the South African tour the Board had got feedback from the team management that some players were not interested in playing Test matches.

"The reason for players preferring T20 cricket over Test matches is understandable since the difference between the fees paid out for a Test and a T20 match is not much," a source privy to discussion said.

Pakistan were whitewashed in the three-Test series with none of the Tests going into the fifth and final day.

"The reason for this is clear that they think that why put in so much hardwork for five days of cricket when just by playing a three hour T20 game they can earn as much," the insider said.

He said that presently the board pays Rs 350,000 in the top bracket to players for a Test and around 30 to 35 percent less for a T20 match.

"There is a discussion going in the board that the test match fees should be increased in the new central contracts so that there is a visible difference between the fees for a test and ODI and T20 matches."

The PCB was expected to give out new central contracts at the start of the year but the process of selecting players has been delayed after noticing players' focus on shorter formats of the game.