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The prize money dispute between Pakistani players and team coach surfaced again over Rs1.7 million paid to Javed Miandad from the cricketers' sponsorship share.

But the former captain, the country's most successful batsman, claimed from Lahore that he received only Rs1.2 million from the Pepsi logo deal worth $1.3 million.

According to highly placed sources, each player was docked Rs100,000 from the deal. While each regular member of the team, who displayed the logo on his kit, earned an average of Rs1.5 million, Miandad, who wore the logo only in the dressing room, took away more than what the active players actually got.

Senior cricketers Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis had more reasons to be aggrieved because the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had recovered fines recommended by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum from their last year's income. While a total of Rs600,000 was deducted from Wasim and Mushtaq, the other three were docked Rs100,000 each.

According to PCB sources, four cricketer's pointed out the issue to the chairman and director of the board but to no avail.

The Pakistan team had faced a similar problem in Kenya when Miandad was paid from the prize money from the ICC knock-out tournament. The crisis deepened on the eve of the home series against England when seven players, including the captain and vice-captain, refused to accept Miandad as coach. However, with the timely intervention of Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia, the crisis was averted but on the condition that Miandad will have his share in only the prize money.

" When we reached an agreement with the chairman, it was decided that Miandad will only get share from the prize money. At no stage it was agreed that Miandad will have his share in the logo deal," a former captain said on the condition of anonymity.

Interestingly, according to the contract signed by Miandad, he is entitled to his share from the logo deal which has further annoyed the players. "We have reasons to feel double-crossed," the players said. However, Miandad made it clear that it was not a new contract but the same old one which had been effective during his previous tenure under Khalid Mahmood's reign.

"I had surrendered the money when the issue surfaced at that time. But I had asked permission to have an independent sponsor - a proposal which was refused by Pepsi. They wanted the coach to use their logo and after a long discussion, Majid Khan (former chief executive) had allowed me to use their logo while assuring that I will be paid," Miandad said from Lahore.

Miandad, who is one of the five members on the PCB advisory panel, has been claiming that he is working honorary. But to put the records straight, Miandad had submitted a bill of Rs 7.2 million after the completion of four-month tours to Sharjah, Dhaka, West Indies and Sri Lanka last year. He was, however, paid Rs 2.7 million.

The senior cricketers have called on for a players' union primarily to counter situations like these where they are being denied their rights. "We can't express our dismay because of the strict code of conduct. But now we feel that if there is a players union, our problems can be highlighted and tackled professionally," the players said.

The players have also called for transparency in contracts where money is involved. "Of course we like Miandad to continue because he has been of immense help to everyone of us. But deals like this create bad blood between the team members and the management" the players said.

© Dawn