Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan demoted – PCB omits category A contracts

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its central contracts for the 2025-2026 season, awarding deals to 30 players across categories B, C and D, with category A remaining empty for the first time.

The contracts will run from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

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This year’s list includes 12 new players, seven more than the 27 contracted last year, as the PCB expands its pool of key players. No players received contracts in category A. Notably, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who were category A players previously, were moved to category B.

Category B list

In the category B list, alongside Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, are Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hassan Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha.

The group represents the core names expected to be regulars on the international side.

Naseem Shah, Hasan Nawaz in Category C

Category C contracts were given to Abdullah Shafiq, Naseem Shah, Saud Shakeel, Fahee Ashraf, Sajid Khan, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Haris, Sahibzada Farhan, Hassan Nawaz and Noman Ali.

Abbas Afridi, Hussain Talat included in Category D

The category D list consists of Shan Masood, Hussain Talat, Muhammad Abbas, Muhamad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, Khurram Shahzad, and Sufyan Muqeem.

New additions

New additions to the central contracts include emerging and fringe players such as Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hassan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Muqeem.

Among the 30 players awarded contracts, nine have retained their previous category. Meanwhile, eight players who were contracted last year did not make the cut this time.

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The absence of category A contracts marks a rare development in the Pakistani cricket, facing one of worst performances in recent years.