Afghanistan cut Lance Klusener salary by 25%, support staff too sufffer pay cut

Kabul, May 12: Afghanistan head coach Lance Klusener will have to take a 25 per cent pay cut after the country's cricket board decided to slash salaries of the national team's support staff to cope with the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, the salaries could be slashed by 50 per cent if Afghanistan's June tour of Zimbabwe is cancelled as the Cricket Board (ACB) is finding it difficult to manage costs.

"This is part of our cost saving strategy as we have been also impacted by the Covid-19 crisis," ACB chief executive Lutfullah Stanikzai told ESPNcricinfo. "We have decided to cut 25 per cent (of the salary for the coaches) for May, 50 per cent for June if we are not able to resume international cricket. We will try and keep them for as long as our financial situation allows."

Apart from the former South African all-rounder, others who would be affected by the pay cut are batting coach H D Ackermann and assistant coach Nawroj Mangal. According to the report, ACB has paid all its centrally contracted players for the first quarter of 2020 but their retainership structure could be reviewed if the five T20I tour of Zimbabwe doesn't go ahead. As of now, 32 senior men and 55 domestic cricketers have got contracts from the board.