PCB announces 2025–26 central contracts with top category vacant
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who have been left out of Pakistan’s T20I squad, were the only two players in Category A last year
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Mohammad Rizwan (L) and teammates of Pakistan walk onto the field during the 3rd and final ODI match between West Indies and Pakistan at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago on August 12, 2025.
AFP
The Pakistan Cricket Board has awarded central contracts to thirty male players for the 2025–26 season, effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
For this cycle, the Board has divided ten players each into Category B, Category C, and Category D, while leaving Category A vacant.
Compared with last year when only twenty-seven players were given contracts, the list has been expanded to thirty this time.
Twelve new players have been included, namely Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Muqeem.
Five players have earned promotions as a result of their strong performances during the previous season. These players are Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan, who have all moved up from Category C to Category B.
Nine players have held on to their contracts in the same categories as last year. Abdullah Shafique, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Saud Shakeel remain in Category C, while Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Junior stay in Category D. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues in Category B.
Eight cricketers who were contracted last year have not been offered contracts this time. The players missing out are Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan, all of whom were previously in Category D.
Centrally contracted players
The list for this year places Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi in Category B.
Category C includes Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan and Saud Shakeel.
Category D features Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood and Sufyan Muqeem.
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