The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled central contracts for the 2025-26 season, covering 30 national cricketers. For the first time in years, no player has been included in the top Category A, highlighting a major shift in the board’s selection approach.
The new contracts will remain effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Players have been divided into three groups — Categories B, C, and D — with 10 players in each.
Category B
Big names such as Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who previously held Category A slots, have now been moved to Category B. They are joined by Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha.
Category C
This category features a mix of young and experienced players. Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, and Sajid Khan have secured spots. Others include Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Sohaibzada Farhan, Hassan Nawaz, and Noman Ali.
Category D
The PCB has placed Shan Masood, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Abbas, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. in Category D. They are joined by Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, Khurram Shahzad, and Sufyan Muqim.
Board officials stated that performance and consistency were the only criteria for the new contracts. The absence of Category A is being viewed as a strong signal from the PCB that all players, senior and junior alike, must raise their standards.
The decision reflects the board’s intent to reward consistent performers while pushing top cricketers to deliver at the highest level.
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