As Pakistan’s Women’s T20 World Cup campaign kick off in the UAE on October 3 against Sri Lanka, the team faces an off-field struggle that is overshadowing their preparation. Despite being under a 23-month contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) starting August 1, 2023, the players have not received their salaries for the last four months. The issue raises concerns over the management of women’s cricket in Pakistan, as other Full Member Nations move toward greater pay parity and timely payments for their athletes.

Women cricketers await salaries for four months

Pakistan’s women cricketers are facing a challenging situation as they begin their T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE, yet remain unpaid for the last four months. The team have been under a 23-month contract since August 2023, but no payments have been made since June 2024. According to PCB, the delay is due to administrative challenges and time constraints. A PCB official stated that the process of finalizing the players' contracts is ongoing and that payments will be backdated once the lists are approved, with new contracts set to be offered from July 1, 2024.

The players also reportedly did not receive daily allowances during their training camp in Multan, which began on September 1, ahead of their home series against South Africa. However, allowances were provided to the support staff. The salary delays are not unique to the women’s team, as Pakistan's men’s team is also facing similar issues, although the reasons for the delays differ between the two teams.

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Pay disparity between men and women cricketers continue

The salary delays come at a time when pay disparity between male and female cricketers in Pakistan remains significant. Pakistan’s women cricketers are among the lowest-paid in all Full Member Nations, even though the PCB is the fourth-richest cricket board globally. Other cricket boards, such as India, England, and New Zealand, have already established pay parity in match fees between men and women, while South Africa and West Indies have committed to bridging the gap soon.

In contrast, Pakistan has yet to announce any concrete plans to address this disparity, nor does it have a players' association to represent the interests of cricketers. Despite PCB's expected increase in spending on women’s cricket by USD 600,000 this season, it remains significantly lower than investments in the men’s game. With players in countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh earning more per match than Pakistani women cricketers, the call for equitable pay and timely compensation becomes even more critical as they compete on the global stage.