Karachi:
The inclusion of key foreign stars in the HBL PSL will not burden the franchisees financially. The PCB will pay $100,000 to each player from the allocated funds.
Ahead of the draft, the cricket board shared a list of foreign franchise stars, with special notes mentioned for some of the players.
David Warner’s minimum fee was set at $300,000, and Karachi Kings picked him up, making him the most expensive cricketer in HBL PSL history. However, the franchise will not have to pay the full $300,000.
A few years ago, the HBL PSL Board of Directors decided that when the net broadcast revenue of the central complex reaches Rs 3 billion, $500,000 annually would be allocated to the salaries of elite players.
Last year, there was no need for this, but now the amount has increased to $1 million. PCB will use this fund to help pay the salaries of players such as David Warner and Darryl Mitchell.
A maximum of $100,000 can be paid to each player from this fund. Therefore, Karachi Kings will only pay $200,000 for Warner
Darrell Mitchell’s minimum fee was set at $200,000, and Lahore Qalandars secured his services.
Previously, the maximum player fee in the HBL PSL was $170,000, although AB de Villiers and Kieron Pollard received $250,000 and $230,000 respectively.
The PCB wanted to increase the fees to attract top players to the league, but scheduling conflicts with the IPL caused challenges.
In a statement, Mitchell thanked Lahore Qalandars for choosing him for the next season, and shared his enthusiasm for participating in the tournament. “I am grateful to Lahore Qalandars for choosing me for the upcoming season of the PSL and I am really excited to play in this event,” he said.
Mitchell also mentioned his eagerness to meet passionate fans in Lahore and Pakistan. “I’m looking forward to meeting the fans in Lahore and all over Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf are now in my team, so I won’t have to face them,” he added with great joy.