He was unclear exactly when the contracts will be awarded, but he seemed optimistic that during the first month of the next year some cricketers will be taken on the pay-roll of the cricket board.
The deal with the players will be effective sometime in January and terminate on Dec 31, 1998. During the year, the players will have to be available to Pakistan and would require a non-objection certificate from the PCB to participate in any festival/benefit match out of Pakistan. At least five players viz Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmad, Saqlain Mushtaq and Saeed Anwar are hired by English counties for the 1998 season. Since all the five star players will be in their final season in England, they might get the contract in 1999.
Bokhari said he discussed the matter with Chief Executive Majid Khan about two months ago. ``I haven't discussed it again recently, but I am sure the proposal will be in its final shape.''
Bokhari said the PCB were evaluating the contracts given by Sri Lankan and West Indies boards to their players.
``We can't pay the players as much as they get from counties but it would be a substantial amount,'' he said.
The PCB chairman was of the view that most of the national team players got injured while playing for their counties which extract every ounce of energy out of them.
Investigations conducted by this correspondent reveal that initially around six players will be given contracts on experimental basis. But the tally would be increased in 1999.
According to the proposal drafted, there would be a slab system in the contracts with the senior most cricketer being on the highest slab. The PCB also plan to enforce relegation and promotion system while awarding the contract. ``For example, if we give contracts to 20 players, any of those players not performing well or not physically fit, will get out and be replaced by a fresh player from out of the 20 contracted initially. This would also help in introducing the element of competition besides helping to break the monopoly of certain players,'' a source, familiar with the new PCB plan, pointed out.