PCB warning for contracted players: Meet fitness standards or get ready for 15% pay cut

Pakistan's centrally-contracted players will have to meet fitness standards set by team manment or else lose 15 percent of ir monthly salary, country's cricket board (PCB) warned on Friday.  directive came after new head coach Misbah-ul-Haq had termed that top-level fitness is paramount for national team players as lack of it has been reason for team's steady decline.

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PCB to levy a fine on players

PCB has said that a player will be subjected to a 15 percent deduction from his monthly retainer fees in case he fails to meet minimum fitness requirements while a "consistent defaulter" will risk a chance of getting relegated to a lower grade.

"A player failing to meet minimum fitness requirements will be fined 15 per cent of his monthly retainer, which will remain effective until such time he achieves minimum fitness standards," a PCB statement read.
 

"Player failing consecutive tests will risk chances of retaining his central contract category and may face demotion," it added test will cover five major areas, namely fat analysis, strength, endurance, speed endurance and cross-fit, and will carry equal weight. "re has always been an emphasis on monitoring of players' fitness levels," PCB Director Cricket - International, Zakir Khan said."This time we have decided to enforce penalties, which is in accordance with contracts, as part of our objective to make players more accountable and responsible for maintaining high fitness standards throughout year.

"All players were informed last month of PCB's expectations and potential sanctions in scenario of failures," he added. Khan furr said that domestic players will also have to undergo tests."se fitness tests will t be limited to centrally contracted players, but will trickle down to six Cricket Association teams," he said."ir tests will be conducted by ir respective coaches and trainers as per ir own schedules and players failing to pass fitness tests will jeopardize ir chances of featuring in Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament to be held from March 25 to April 19." 

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fitness test

Meanwhile, Pakistan's centrally contracted players, including Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Afridi will undergo fitness tests here on January 6 and 7.  two-day testing will be held under tutel of Pakistan cricket team's strength and conditioning coach Yasir Malik at National Cricket Academy here."All available centrally contracted players will attend two-day testing, which is aligned to ir contracts," PCB said. "Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan, who will be occupied with ir commitments in Bangladesh Premier League, will undergo tests on January 20 and 21," it furr added.

Centrally contracted players:

Category A  Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah

Category B  Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Category C  Abid Ali, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz. 

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