The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally announced the revised central contracts for the men’s cricket team, nearly four months after they were due. The contracts have undergone significant changes, with several players moving up or down the categories.
Shan Masood, who recently led Pakistan to their first Test series win since July 2023, retains his spot in Category B. However, his position is uncertain, as the PCB has stated that his retention is “subject to captaincy.” This announcement comes amidst speculation about Masood’s future as Test captain after Pakistan lost their first six Tests under his leadership.
Babar Azam, despite missing the last two Test matches against England due to poor form, remains in the highest category. Shaheen Afridi, on the other hand, drops down to the second tier, leaving Mohammad Rizwan as the only other A category player.
Fakhar Zaman, who has been a regular in the central contracts for the past eight years, has been dropped for the first time. Concerns over his fitness and a deteriorating relationship with the PCB are believed to be the reasons behind his omission.
The board issued a show-cause notice to Zaman after he criticized the decision to drop Babar Azam on Twitter. The post remains up, and Zaman has not apologized, with the matter reportedly being handled by his legal team.
Imam-ul-Haq, Zaman’s long-time ODI opening partner, also misses out on a central contract. There has been a general deflation in categories across the board, with only five players out of 25 in the A or B categories compared to 11 last year.
Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who did not feature in last year’s contracts, have made a comeback after their impressive performances against England. Both players have been placed in the C category, with Noman’s inclusion subject to fitness.
Several new players have been awarded maiden central contracts, including Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Usman Khan, and Irfan Khan. All five players have been placed in the D category.
The PCB has maintained the same three-year deal structure for central contracts, giving players their highest pay raises in history and a fixed share of revenue from the PCB’s earnings at the ICC. The contracts will be backdated to cover the period starting July 1, 2024, and will run for another 12 months before a revision can be made.
