Windies cricket team to be offered extra money for T20I series in Pakistan

In order to help their upcoming three-match T20I series in Pakistan to take place, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has come up with the proposal of offering players around USD 25,000 as an incentive.

According to ESPNCricinfo, CWI is slated to announce the West Indies squad for the tour of Pakistan for three T20Is — with shortest format proving to be the best method to bring international cricket back in Pakistan — after the end of the ongoing ICC World Cup qualifier, reports The Hindustan Times.

The three matches are set to be played on April 1, 2 and 3 in Karachi.

The report added that depending on contract status of the players, they are set to get anywhere in between ‘70 per cent more and double what they would ordinarily be paid’.

Notably, while the payment will be made by CWI, the money will be provided by Pakistan as the proposed T20I series is outside the ICC FTP.

‘Pakistan are looking to play more cricket at home, by playing half of the PSL in Pakistan next year and a number of matches in upcoming bilateral series under the current FTP. However what they can’t continue to do is pay international players additional fees to tour Pakistan or PSL,’ said Johnny Grave, CEO of the Caribbean cricket board to ESPNCricinfo.

‘So, considering this tour is outside the Future Tours Programme, the PCB have made a payment to CWI that is being fully utilised. CWI isn’t making any money from the series, just supporting cricket going back to Pakistan,’ he added.

The report added that even in 2015, when the Pakistan cricket team hosted Zimbabwe for their first home series since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus, the host cricket board paid the visiting players USD 12,500 each.