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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board must start paying its players more money for Test appearances, according to top spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Ajmal a private TV channel that Pakistan cricketers were getting less money than their international counterparts.
“Players now want to just play one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches because they are earning more from these formats,” he said. “We don't get the same financial rewards for playing Tests.
“The problem is that in our country there is little difference in the fees paid out for all three formats and we are not playing as many tests compared to most other countries.
“I have played just 28 Tests in six years so the opportunities to earn well from this format are less compared to ODIs or T20s,” added Ajmal.
Pakistan play fewer Tests than most because the other teams do not want to tour the country due to security concerns.
“I would advise our board to not only raise Test match fees ... but also create a big difference in the fees paid for all three formats,” said Ajmal, 35, who has taken 147 wickets in 28 tests and 146 wickets in 92 ODIs.
“Test cricket should form the basis for our doing well in the other formats. Unless we excel in the longer form we will face a crisis.
“There is too much Twenty20 cricket and that is hurting Test cricket.”
To a question about the performance of coach Dav Whatmore, Ajmal said the only difference between and his two Pakistani predecessors were the salary package and the language barrier.
Ajmal said former Pakistan internationals Waqar Younis and Mohsin Khan had handled the players very well during their coaching stints, while Whatmore, an Australian who has coached the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh national teams, “doesn't have know-how of our language.”
He adds: “It's just the difference of money which we are giving to (foreign coaches), otherwise there's no difference.”
Pakistan host a Two-test series against South Africa in the Middle East later this month. The first game in Abu Dhabi starts on Oct. 14.
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Comments (30) Closed
Oct 02, 2013 07:22am
Well said. Now what is the crime done by the engineers, doctors, and other professionals, including the sweepers, chowkidars, mochis.... prime minister, MPs... to get less pay than their counterparts in other countries. And why does he think, he is any better for Pakistan than a chowkidar or a soldier who defend the country.
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Oct 02, 2013 07:58am
How about pay for performance only. How about pooling the money and giving big chunks to those who performed right down to "zero" for players whose performance(s) caused defeat. People who are stuck at the bottom of the barrel of cricket ranking should consider themselves lucky to still be paid for their unbearable display.
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Oct 02, 2013 08:25am
So that is the reason of the player's performance discrepancy between shorter and longer format?
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Oct 02, 2013 09:25am
You guys should be paid less then Zimbabwe.
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Oct 02, 2013 09:54am
I wonder how much the Zimbabwe players got paid in beating us, if at all? They seemed pretty happy at the end of the Test with victory alone.
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Oct 02, 2013 10:01am
Start performing. then you will get paid. and if you get paid a lot the OLD players will never leave.
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Oct 02, 2013 10:31am
First perform, then ask for money, you should be paying the money to the government the way you people are performing.
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Oct 02, 2013 11:37am
Mr Ajmal - salary and perks must be performance based. Not just payment to suit the ego of the players
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Oct 02, 2013 12:18pm
I just read an article at www.cricketnext.com where Ajmal and Rehman insisted on playing against India. Why are out stupid cricketers and board are so passionate about playing India. I read all the comments in that article posted by Indians and it really made me sick. Go and check it out.
I have never seen an indian crickter showing interest in playing against Pakistan.
I ask all our cricketers to have some self-respect and stop this non-sense.
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Oct 02, 2013 12:58pm
FTP is one of the joke in Cricketing world. I think only India, Australia, England, and South Africa should play test cricket and rest play just t-20, and Dead rubber ODIs, let me give you an example how injustice works actively in test cricket. Ian Bell started his career 2005, within * years he played as many number of matches as Younis Khan played but Younis Khan's career began way back in 2000, 13 years ago.
Pakistan last tour to Australia in 2009, yet they are not due to play there until 2016, at the same time India tour twice to Australia, same goes in England, Pak tour 2010 to England, India tour to England 2011 and now again touring England in 2014 and this time playing mighty 5 Tests series. such a shame teams like Sri Lanka, West Indies, Pakistan, and New zealand play hardly any test cricket compare to their counterparts, and yet pay less in test cricket, completely and utterly shame on ICC's FTP!
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Oct 02, 2013 02:28pm
Dear Ajmal,
With each passing day. we are finding it hard to pay for our daily household chores in the form of electricity charges, fuel charges & for health emergencies caused by dengue like diseases.
No doubt, you are the best off-spinner in the world but better watch out for public sentiments towards PCB and Pak cricket in present scenario before you demand such things.
We, the taxpayers, are your employers and if you can't keep us happy with your performances and trophies, we will not allow you any raise.
Thanks for your understanding.
"A Taxpayer"
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Oct 02, 2013 02:52pm
Looking at the financial conditions of PCB, you should be thankful what you are getting. As said below, perform first before you demand.
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Oct 02, 2013 04:29pm
Dear Saeed Ajmal.
You are one of our stars and we all love you and respect you. Please do understand that none of the professionals (Engineers, doctors, bankers, factory workers etc) are paid equal to the pay in the foreign countries. It is hard to justify by the PCB paying players equal to the pay of the Australian and English players. I agree, that there must be some sort of incentive to attract more players to play Test. There must be bonuses based upon the performance but again keeping our budget within reasonable limits and keeping in mind that we are very poor country.
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Oct 02, 2013 05:40pm
@Ghalib Khan:
You cant say this about Saeed Ajman..
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Oct 02, 2013 05:43pm
Sadia & Ghalib Khan,
He's saying that Test cricketers should be paid more so that youngsters are drawn to the longer format instead of limited-overs cricket.
Sounds a very sensible suggestion to me. A great Test cricketer will excel at the other formats but necessarily vice-versa.
But on the foreign coaches thing - India had Gary Kirsten, a foreigner, as one of its most successful coaches. John Wright was quite successful too, during the Ganguly era. So maybe he's not entirely right on the foreign coach bit, but his comments on paying Test cricketers more than ODI and T20 cricketers is absolutely spot on.
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Oct 02, 2013 08:05pm
Just wait till the PCB hands you a fine for 'Code of Conduct' violation for speaking to the media..
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Oct 02, 2013 08:38pm
@Abbas Ali:
Ali Saab: It is not that Indians do not want to play Pakistan. On the contrary, they have respect and regard, albeit grudgingly, for several talented Pakistani cricketers. The problem is reciprocity. Given the security situation in Pakistan, which international team would like to play in your country. Your own cricketers do not feel safe at home. If so, why should hospitality be a one way street? Why do you expect every other country to open their doors to your players when you cannot even guarantee safe transportation of visiting cricketers from hotel to stadium?
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Oct 02, 2013 08:48pm
If you compare contract players salary($800,000) to PCB annual budget($29,000,000) then numbers do reflect low salaries. In mean time PCB is in $5,000,000 deficit. Probably like any other institution PCB also has no annual audit which is making rich and profitable organization into LOSS.
As long as we have a good test/odi teams other countries will always want to play with us. But, If PCB doesn't care about it's own future then why we blame ICC for not giving us more test and odi series.
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Oct 02, 2013 08:56pm
mr.saeed ajmal.yes we are ready to pay more to the players provided you win games, how about if you lose or under perform, i thinkf 25% should be deduct from what you players are
earning now.
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Oct 02, 2013 09:32pm
WORTHY local coach should be preferred over foreign coach as we are in rebuilding face and most of the players are young who needs to be communicated very frequently. Communication is key for young talented players development,
I am not saying foreign coaches are not successful. During Bob Wolmer's time we have veterans like Inzamam,Yousaf, Shoaib Akhtar, Yonius, Moin which made coaching easy for new players. Same the case with Pybus era. But now it is different that is why Waqar Yonius and Mohsin Khan were much more successful than Whatmore and Lawson.
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Oct 02, 2013 09:42pm
Another way, probably better in light of our financial state, of achieving the pay structure is by reducing the pay for ODIs and T20s.
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Oct 02, 2013 10:51pm
He need to focus in the field, as he being playing all the three format and if you look at his analysis, his bowling was the worse one as compared to the other prayer in the recent series. He should be lucky that he get paid as compared to the Zimbabwean players, they have to fight for their money. This kind of people just they want money and money and they are not playing for Pakistan just playing for Money.
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Oct 03, 2013 12:02am
Saeed- It's the audiences, fans - pays for everything from players to administrators salaries. There is no audience for Test Cricket in Pakistan so naturally you don't earn more by playing Tests. Our stadiums were empty in the past whenever a Test match was played. Today's industries and institutions are consumer driven which is why India is flourishing because they have a cricket market driven by strong consumer-ship. In Pakistan, the game is just an entertainment. It's about time we bring change in attitudes and follow basic trends if we are to compete.
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Oct 03, 2013 01:07am
@Abbas Ali:
Unfortunately we Pakistanis seem to be obsessed by Indians in every field. Cricketers are no different than our 'so-called' film and TV stars, singers, musicians, poets, journalists, and politicians etc. We as a nation have lost self esteem and respect. Don't forget that Pakistan has produced people like Jehangir Khan, Jansher Khan, Imran Khan, A.Q. Khan and the list goes on. Come on guys, be yourselves and stop imitating others: we can become the strongest nation on earth with the resources we have.
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Oct 03, 2013 07:50am
@Insane Engineer:Spot On!
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Oct 03, 2013 09:41am
@Danish:
It has to do with economics, my friend. An India tour of Australia generates more revenue for the host country than a Pakistan or Sri Lanka tour to Australia. For instance Zimbabwe did not even recover its hosting cost during the Pakistan series.Its sad but economics super-cedes equality Also,schedules are decided by individual boards rather than ICC.
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Oct 03, 2013 11:34am
please play in india.
we will pay you good money.
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Oct 03, 2013 02:21pm
Regarding the comments about tax payers having to fund cricketers' salaries, please chill out. Cricket board is not subsidized by the Federal government.. its revenue comes from sponsors which in turn sponsor cricket because of the popularity of the game and the players. So what Ajmal is asking for is only fair share in the revenue that he and his fellow players bring in.
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Oct 03, 2013 04:58pm
He is 100% right .
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Oct 05, 2013 11:06am
More money for just showing their pretty faces in International competitions or more money because they bring trophy after trophy and so many wins and now they want more? The money and the perks that they have is good enough.
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