Key Takeaways
- Some PSL franchises have requested a reduction in the player salary purse.
- The PCB chairman did not respond to the request during the recent PSL Council meeting.
- Financial pressures are affecting both franchises and the PCB itself.
Some franchises of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) have petitioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to lower the base player salary purse, citing rising costs, according to sources.
The proposal was discussed at the latest PSL Council meeting, held in London last week under the chairmanship of PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, but no response was given to the request.
Following the sale of three franchises this year for substantial sums, the new owners are facing greater financial difficulties in meeting their expenditure commitments compared to the owners of established teams.
The financial concerns extend beyond the franchises, with the PCB itself also grappling with outstanding payments from some stakeholders, adding to the financial pressures surrounding the league.
Under the current salary structure, top or elite players can be signed for up to $150,000, while players in the second tier command $80,000. The third tier carries a purse of $40,000, while players in the fourth tier can earn $21,500.
The demand for a reduction in the purse comes after the sale of Hyderabad for Rs1.75 billion, Rawalpindi for Rs1.85 billion, and Multan Sultans for Rs1.08 billion. The existing owners of the other five franchises reacquired their teams at lower prices.
Sources stated that the new franchise owners are finding it increasingly difficult to meet their financial obligations, while the PCB is also facing issues over outstanding payments from some stakeholders.
