PCB announces parental support policy

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a parental support policy to help the players in their journey to parenthood.

Under the policy, women and men players have been granted various rights when they are expecting and upon the birth of their children.

Women cricketers are also entitled to take up to 12 months of paid maternity leave and will be guaranteed a contract extension for the following year.

Upon conclusion of the maternity leave, the player will be reintegrated into cricketing activities and provided adequate medical and physical support in their post-childbirth rehabilitation.

If a woman player is required to travel for cricketing activities, the PCB will allow her to travel with a support person of her choice to assist in caring for her child.

Male cricketers will be entitled to up to 30 days of fully paid leave which will need to be taken within 56 days of the birth of their child.

“The PCB has a duty of care towards its cricketers and at every turn it has taken measures to support them,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said.

“It is appropriate that we have a player-friendly parental support policy so that our professional cricketers can feel fully supported during an important stage in their lives without worrying about their careers.

“To have this policy for our women cricketers was even more significant. Women play a pivotal role in the development of a society. Now that we have maternity leave policy, I am hopeful that it will attract more women and girls to take up the sport,” he added.