Pakistan stars seek pay increase

We know if we perform up to the mark in the World Cup, rewards will flow in from every quarter Shoaib Akhtar

Pakistan's cricketers are seeking a pay rise and performance-related incentives for next year's World Cup.

Centrally contracted players currently receive monthly payments ranging from £664 to £1,772, plus match fees for each Test and one-day international.

But skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said: "We are going to ask the Pakistan Cricket Board to increase our salaries, as we feel this is due to us.

"We just feel the players should be financially secure."

Pakistan's players receive less than their centrally contracted counterparts in India, Australia, England and South Africa.

The PCB, meanwhile, does not recognise any players' association in their country.

But director Abbas Zaidi confirmed that the level of payments would be reviewed when the central contracts come up for renewal in July.

"Obviously, if the board thinks it is in a good financial position, it will give some benefits to the players," he said.

The Pakistan team begin a tour to England next month.

Pakistan's centrally contracted players: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Kamran Akmal, Asim Kamal, Salman Butt, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Yasir Hameed, Shoaib Akhtar, Arshad Khan, Shabbir Ahmad, Rao Iftikhar, Umar Gul, Bazid Khan, Imran Farhat.