Lahore – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its latest central contracts on Sunday, issuing 12-month agreements to 25 players. Notably, star pacer Shaheen Afridi has been downgraded from Category A to Category B, while several prominent players, including Fakhar Zaman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Imad Wasim, have been completely omitted from the contract list.
This decision follows the PCB’s earlier announcement in July, which reverted to a one-year central contract model contingent on player performance. The board also stated that player fitness would be evaluated every three months, with mandatory participation in domestic cricket required.
In the new contract list, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan remain the only players in Category A. Shaheen Afridi’s demotion comes after he and Babar were “rested” during the second and third Tests of the recently concluded home series against England, in which Pakistan suffered a loss in the first match.
Other notable players excluded from the central contracts include Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and Shahnawaz Dahani. Test captain Shan Masood has been placed in Category B, though his position depends on his continued captaincy.
Emerging talents have also been recognized, with first-time central contracts awarded to Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan.
Sources indicate that Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, and Osama were not awarded contracts due to failing initial fitness tests. They are expected to undergo further assessments soon, and their potential inclusion in the central contract list will be reviewed based on these results.
It’s important to note that no player has opted out of the central contract offers.
Central Contract Categories:
- Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan
- Category B: Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood
- Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan
- Category D: Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Usman Khan
As the cricketing season progresses, the PCB’s decisions reflect a focus on performance, fitness, and the development of emerging talent within the national team.
