KARACHI, Jan 1: Pakistan cricket team’s coach Intikhab Alam has been entrusted with the task of coordinating with the players to draw up recommendations before the new central contracts are handed out this year.

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chief Operating Officer Saleem Altaf said that Intikhab had been directed to submit a report to the board after discussing with the cricketers about the new contracts.

“We have given him [Intikhab] an outline of what we feel should be the terms and conditions of the new contracts and he will add the players info to these. But so far nothing has happened. So there is no question of players being unhappy as yet,” Saleem said.

He also vehemently rubbished reports that some senior cricketers in the squad are gearing up to lead a revolt against the board over the new central contracts. “The question of players revolting or not being happy with the new terms of the contracts does not arise. Because as yet nothing has been formalised regarding the new terms and conditions of the contracts,” he said.

However, Saleem accepted that the financial crunch has forced the PCB to rationalise the benefits given to the cricketers. “There is a suggestion that while special bonuses for individual performances be cut, the match fees of players be increased specially for Test matches to balance things. But the players have to understand we are facing a financial crunch and we are taking measures in the board administration and expenses also to rationalise things,” he said.

The term of the previous contracts have already expired on the last day of 2008 and the new ones, with a tenure of one year, would given to the cricketers only after receiving the approval of general council meeting later this month.

The PCB has recently slashed the monthly retainers given to domestic cricketers while increasing their match fees.—Agencies