Pakistani Players Earn Less Than Every Other Top Playing Nation
Pakistani cricketers are often at the wrong end of the pay spectrum compared to players from other major cricketing teams. Despite the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) holding the third-largest piece of the ICC pie after India, England, and Australia, the board still needs to adequately raise the pay scale for its players. This problem has become more evident in recent years, even with revised conditions under the ICC revenue-sharing model.
The PCB’s recent announcement of Central Contracts did little to address this issue, leaving many former cricketers and fans disappointed. Some have called for fairness on a global scale, noting that the pay for Pakistani players remains low compared to other countries. This disparity is often seen as a need for more support for Pakistani players despite the board’s substantial ICC revenue, raising questions about fairness and recognition at an international level.
A pay disparity exists for Pakistani cricketers compared to the rest of the world. While top-tier players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan receive around $74,000 annually, this is significantly lower than what top-tier players in countries like Australia and England earn. For instance, in Australia, top-tier players can earn around $1,198,000 per annum, and in England, they earn approximately $995,000. Even mid-tier and bottom-tier Pakistani players, with salaries of $20,000 and below, must catch up to cricketers from nations like New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
This large salary gap has led many Pakistani stars to favor franchise leagues over the international circuit, where they can earn more for similar work. With the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offering relatively low pay despite high expectations, the next generation of cricketing stars often turns to leagues that promise greater financial security.The definitive answer to the pay disparity issue lies in the commercial strength of cricket organizations in countries like India, England, and Australia. These countries have robust systems that generate high revenue from television rights, allowing them to pay contracted players more money than other nations. This financial foundation enables them to offer larger salaries to cricketers, while boards in countries with less revenue struggle to match such pay scales.
For Pakistani cricketers, this often means being paid significantly less than players from India, England, or Australia. This implies an inability for boards with limited income sources to increase salaries to competitive levels. As a result, Pakistan cricketers and those from other countries likely receive lower pay due to the limited financial resources available, relying heavily on the global revenue disparity.
The salary of a Pakistani cricketer on the Pakistan cricket team is notably lower than that of international players from top cricketing nations. Despite representing their country in international cricket, Pakistan’s players earn less than players from India, England, or Australia. These top teams benefit from strong commercial cricket organizations that derive income from television rights, enabling them to pay contracted players more. Due to limited revenue, Pakistan cricket players cannot receive similar earnings, as their country’s cricket board needs more resources to match the high salaries in other countries.
This financial reality is based on facts, not merely assumptions, and implies an inability to pay on par with top-tier nations. For Pakistani cricketers, the pay gap affects their international match fees and overall income for each series, positioning them as some of the lowest-paid international cricket players.
