Afridi, Akmal will have 25% of their salaries deducted: PCB

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board revealed that four of their international cricketers will receive a 25 percent deducted monthly salary due to their fitness problems.

The PCB has summoned hard hitting all-rounder Shahid Afridi, wicket-keeper Umar Akmal, off-spinners Abdul Rehman and Raza Hasan for failing to reach the fitness level required under their contracts.

The PCB’s media manager Agha Akbar told the media, ‘Yes we have started this process and in the initial stage Afridi, Akmal, Rehman and Raza Hasan will have 25 percent of their monthly salaries deducted as a penalty.’

Akbar also told the new rewarding system for the players who exceed the fitness test, ‘In the first stage Shan Masood and Umar Amin will get a 17.5 percent increase in their salaries for four months as an incentive, while national team captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Bilawal Bhatti and Ahmed Shehzad have also been given a 10 percent increase for working hard on their fitness.’

Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis said that Pakistan no longer has match-winner players in the squad who can single-handedly change the momentum of the game, former skipper who has taken 800 international wickets said bowlers need to work as a unit in-order to win the game.

Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler Waqar said, ‘The days of Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain or Asif are gone. We don’t have individuals now who can win matches on their own like we did in the past. They will now have to work as a unit to win matches. They will have to make use of modern technology.’

Talking about Saeed Ajmal, Waqar said, ‘With the World Cup round the corner, it is an opportunity for younger bowlers to take Ajmal’s place. Secondly I think in his absence senior players like Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi have to take more responsibility.’