RAWALPINDI, April 13: Vice-captain Yousuf Youhana has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to introduce a central contract system for players in order to stem the recent surge in injuries.

Youhana, who has played 51 Tests and 164 One-day Internationals, said the increasing number of injuries were a result of non-stop cricket in a bid to earn money during the off-season.

"We're facing injury problems because we're playing too much cricket. Even during the off-season, when players should be resting, they opt to play abroad to earn money," he said on Tuesday.

Youhana said the best way to provide financial security was to introduce a central contracts system. He said the board should award contracts to a pool of 25 to 30 players, similar to the systems in Australia and England. -Reuters