A strike over outstanding payments by the Zimbabwe cricket players has put the Pakistan's tour of the country in trouble. The players have not been paid for a month by their cricket board.

Currently, Zimbabwe players are paid US $2,000 per month on average for seven months a year. Each player is paid differently, with the captain earning higher than the others.

The players are now demanding a pay rise in addition to their arrears which will increase their salary to $5,000 per Test match, $3,000 per One Day International and $1,500 per Twenty20 for each player. This would mean a total earning of $22,000 per player for the Pakistan series.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) extended the players’ contracts by a month after they expired in July. However, the disgruntled cricketers have refused to sign the contracts and participate in trainings until their conditions are met. As a result, the announcement of the squad has been delayed.

The revolting players claimed that their demand for the fees is legitimate and is the same as what their counterparts earn in other countries. “What we have asked for is the minimum if you compare with other Test playing nations,” said one player while talking to the Zimbabwe Independent, who requested anonymity.

Five senior players, Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya and Vusi Sibanda are involved in the negotiations which have been going on since Wednesday.

The players have formed a union and have put their grievances in writing to put up a united front to address their issues. Wilfred Mukondiwa, the managing director of ZC was surprised by the forming of a union but remained confident that the Pakistan series would go on as planned. However, earlier meetings with the union leaders have remained unfruitful.

Mukondiwa told Cricinfo that players have not been paid their July salaries due to a liquidity problem in ZC. While Mukondiwa said the five-ODI visit from India "brought in money", ZC "has commitments" and was not able to meet all of them. He said the players were given an assurance they would be paid soon.

Earlier in the year, before a series against Bangladesh, ZC faced a similar problem. Then, Zimbabwe players threatened a boycott against what they believed an unfair daily allowance for non-centrally contracted players.

Mukondiwa said ZC will release a statement as soon as a resolution is reached. Zimbabwe host Pakistan for two T20s, three ODIs and two Tests, starting next Friday.