Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday announced that each player of the national team would receive $100,000, approximately Rs28 million, if the Green Shirts win the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be jointly held in the US and West Indies from June 1-29.
According to the cricket board, Naqvi made the remarks as he reached Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where the Babar Azam-led Pakistan squad started the national camp on Saturday.
In a post on social media platform X, the PCB said Naqvi met both players and officials during his visit.
“The PCB chairman stayed with the players for two hours,” the board said, adding that Naqvi also held a detailed discussion with the players on strategy.
According to the PCB, Naqvi announced that each player would be awarded $100,000 for winning the T20 World Cup. Naqvi also said that the prize money held no importance compared to lifting the trophy, expressing the hope that the team would raise the Pakistan flag.
The PCB chief also encourage players to “play without any pressure” and to “compete vigorously”. “The victory will be for you and the defeat will be for me,” he said.
“Don’t care about anyone. Only play for Pakistan. Demonstrate teamwork on the field [and] God willing, victory will be yours,” he said.
Naqvi further said that all the players were united while also expressing the hope that fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi would deliver a great performance in the tournament.
“The country has a lot of expectations from you. You have to fulfil them,” he told the players.
During his visit, the PCB chairman also handed out special shirts to players for achieving milestones. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohamad Rizwan was awarded a shirt for completing 3,000 T20 runs while pacer Naseem Shah was awarded a shirt for taking 100 T20 wickets.
Naqvi also hosted a lunch for the players and officials at a local hotel later in the day, the PCB said.
Pakistan are scheduled to leave for the T20 tours to Ireland and England later this month. The twin tour will prepare the Green Shirts for the all-important T20 World Cup.
On Saturday, all-rounder Imad Wasim said his main focus was to handle pressure inside the ground while emphasising that winning the T20 World Cup was the primary target of the team.
“[Fast bowler] Mohammad Amir and I have returned to international cricket [by coming out of retirement] with one clear goal and that is to win the T20 World Cup,” Imad said while taking to reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium.
“Reaching the final or even semi-final is a massive achievement, no doubt. But unfortunately, the losing finalist team is not remembered, only the champion side is kept in mind.
“I firmly believe that if we combine well and play to our full potential, no team can beat us,” he said.
