The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is currently in the spotlight for organizing high-profile tournaments like the Champions One Day Cup and the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy. However, while the men’s cricket team enjoys the benefits of this increased spending, the women cricketers are left feeling neglected, especially during their current training camp in Multan.
Reports have surfaced that PCB has failed to provide daily allowances to the women players, leaving them upset and questioning the board’s priorities.
Training Camp Without Allowance: Women’s Team Left Disappointed
The women’s cricket team is currently preparing for their upcoming series against South Africa and the T20 World Cup. Their training camp, which started on September 1 in Multan, is a key part of these preparations. However, unlike previous camps, where cricketers were given daily allowances, this time the PCB has decided not to provide any.
According to ESPN Cricinfo, the women cricketers have not received their regular daily allowances throughout this training camp, citing a new PCB policy as the reason. This change has created confusion and frustration among the players, who were counting on the allowance for additional expenses.
New Policy Brings Controversy: Free Meals But No Allowance
PCB officials claim that this decision is due to a newly implemented policy, where players are provided three meals a day and free accommodation. According to the board, this arrangement replaces the need for a separate daily allowance. While the idea of providing free meals and lodging may seem like an improvement, it has backfired in the eyes of the women cricketers, who feel the allowance is essential to cover personal expenses.
In previous camps, players received both a small allowance and two meals per day. However, under the new system, no allowance will be given if full meals and accommodation are provided.
Anger Grows Among Women Cricketers: PCB’s Policy Sparks Backlash
The women cricketers have expressed disappointment and anger over this decision. Many players were hoping for better financial support from the PCB as they prepare for two crucial tournaments, but instead, they feel they have been sidelined. The lack of daily allowance has only added to the financial pressures these athletes already face, especially since the board is spending heavily on other projects.
Though the PCB has assured that the players will receive their allowances once the series against South Africa begins, this policy change has already left a negative impact on team morale.
PCB’s Spending on Men’s Cricket Contradicts the New Policy
Interestingly, the same policy was supposed to apply to the men’s cricket team during their training camps. However, reports suggest that the policy was not enforced for the men’s team. Before their Test series against Bangladesh, the men’s team was provided accommodation and meals, but they also received their daily allowances. This inconsistency has only fueled the frustration among the women cricketers, who feel they are being treated unfairly.
While the PCB continues to invest heavily in men’s cricket and upcoming international events, the financial struggles of the women’s team raise important questions about the board’s priorities. The team will soon face South Africa in a three-match T20 series before heading to the UAE for the T20 World Cup, but for now, they must deal with the disappointment of not receiving their allowances during the crucial training period.
Men’s Team Enjoys Different Treatment Despite Similar Policy
The men’s team, despite staying in camps with free meals and accommodation, still receives allowances. This has led to further questioning of PCB’s double standards when it comes to supporting women cricketers. The financial disparity between the men’s and women’s teams has been a topic of concern, and this latest development has only widened the gap. While the women cricketers face financial difficulties, the men’s team continues to benefit from PCB’s relaxed enforcement of the new policy.
