PCB’s Champions Cup mentors getting hefty PKR 50 lakh fees makes Tanvir Ahmed furious

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced three new tournaments for their 2024-25 domestic season: the Champions One-Day Cup, Champions T20 Cup, and Champions First-Class Cup.

These competitions are designed to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket in Pakistan. On August 27, the PCB announced that five legendary cricketers from Pakistan would serve as mentors for the five teams participating in the Champions Cup tournaments.

Tanvir Ahmed questions PKR 50 lakh salaries to domestic mentors appointed by PCB

These icons signed three-year contracts with the board, and they will start their roles in the Champions One-Day Cup, which is set to take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to September 29.

This tournament will also mark the beginning of Pakistan's 2024-25 domestic cricket season. These five mentors are Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Malik, Waqar Younis, and Sarfaraz Ahmed.

They all have previously served in coaching, advisory, or mentorship roles within the Pakistan cricket team or the domestic cricket circuit. Meanwhile, former Pakistani pacer Tanvir Ahmed has sparked a fierce debate by criticizing the PCB’s decision to award PKR 50 lakh each to the five mentors of the upcoming Champions Cup tournaments.

Do they deserve this amount?: Tanvir

Ahmed questioned whether these cricketing icons truly deserve such hefty payments. Tanveer posted on X: “Waqar Younis, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, and Saqlain Mushtaq. In sab ko as a mentor, 50 Lac diye ja rahe hain. Matlab in ka itna level hain ki in logon ko 50 Lac diya ja rahe hain. (They are being paid 50 lakh each as mentors. Does that mean they have reached such a level that they deserve this amount?”)

Waqar younis
Sarfaraz Ahmed
Misbah ul haq
Shoaib Malik
Saqlain Mushtaq
In sab ko as a mentor 50 Lac diye ja rahe hain matlab in ka itna level ha in logon ko 50 Lac diya ja rahe ha

— Tanveer Says (@ImTanveerA) August 30, 2024

We need to explore players' potential to the full: Misbah-ul-Haq

Meanwhile, Misbah has been appointed as the mentor of Wolves for the Champions Cup, and he stressed the need to try and maximize a player's potential as a mentor. The former Pakistan coach and captain said at the press conference: “If a player is well-equipped and technically good, he can play all formats.

We have to look at how he manages his fitness and potential and not have any preconceived notions about any player. Then we can look at which player specifically fits into our team. That doesn't mean we limit a player's ceiling. As mentor and coach, we need to explore their potential to the full.”

My role goes beyond just providing guidance from the dugout: Shoaib Malik

On the other hand, Shoaib Malik, the mentor of the Stallions, said in a statement released by the PCB: “As a mentor, my role goes beyond just providing guidance from the dugout. I will also take to the field in select matches to impart my first-hand knowledge and experience. This will enable our upcoming cricketers to refine their skills and elevate their game, ultimately supporting the Pakistan Cricket Board's efforts to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.”

Notably, the Pakistan team is currently taking on Bangladesh in the ongoing second and final Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan had a great start to their quest to win the match for their pride, but yet again the Tigers bounced back strongly in the ongoing two-match Test series in Rawalpindi.