Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team Faces Changes

The Pakistan women’s cricket team has not been provided daily allowances during their ongoing training camp in Multan, which began on September 1. The allowances will only be given once the T20I series against South Africa kicks off next week.

This shift marks a departure from the previous policy, where the women's team received daily allowances during camps. It also contrasts with how the men's team is compensated during their training camps.

In the past, the women's squad received modest daily allowances during camps, but this time, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is providing hotel accommodation and three meals a day. According to a PCB official, the policy states that if food and lodging are provided, additional daily allowances are unnecessary. Although this rule technically applies to the men’s team as well, it is rarely enforced. During the most recent men's training camp before the Test series against Bangladesh, the players received daily allowances in addition to accommodation, though three free meals were not provided. In previous camps, the men’s team often received allowances, along with up to two free meals per day.

It remains unclear why the allowance structure for the women’s team has changed, effectively reducing their financial compensation. Earlier this year, during a training camp in Karachi before the West Indies series, the women’s team received both monetary allowances and three meals daily. However, the PCB has since decided that financial allowances are unnecessary when food and lodging are covered.

This policy shift has left several women’s team members dissatisfied. Some players feel that being away from home for extended training camps should come with compensation beyond basic needs. There is hope that future camps, especially with the women’s T20 World Cup approaching, may see an improvement in this policy.

This development comes at a time when the PCB is heavily investing in other areas of cricket. Massive sums are being spent on stadium renovations, including the nearly complete reconstruction of Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and major upgrades to the National Stadium in Karachi. The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is also scheduled for construction work ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, Pakistan’s first ICC event in nearly 30 years.

The domestic cricket scene is also receiving significant financial attention. The ongoing Champions One-Day Cup has seen a large increase in prize money, with PKR 49 million on offer—almost ten times the amount from last year. The PCB is also paying high salaries to mentors of the five teams, costing around PKR 900 million over three years.

Meanwhile, the women’s central and domestic contracts have yet to be finalised. Although 19 women were awarded central contracts last year, they were due for review at the end of the first 12 months. Six weeks have passed since that deadline, with no updates on contract revisions. The men’s central contracts are similarly overdue, though changes are expected soon, with no official announcement yet.