The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released the Central Contracts list after months of delays. Following the team’s disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, the board decided to revise the contracts that were initially set for three years. The new contracts will be effective from July 1, 2024, just ahead of the upcoming AUS vs PAK series.
In Category A, only former captain Babar Azam and potential successor Mohammad Rizwan have been retained. Pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who were recently dropped from the squad for the 2nd and 3rd Tests against England, have been demoted to Category B. Test skipper Shan Masood has also moved to Category B.
Most veteran players now find themselves in Category C, which includes spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub, Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel, and others.
The PCB has opted to reward younger players and specialists with central contracts, placing them in Category D.
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 Jnr, Usman Khan
Despite struggling with form in all formats, Babar Azam retains his position in Category A. After stepping down as white-ball captain post-T20 World Cup, he was also dropped for the Tests against England but is expected to return for the white-ball series against Australia. The PCB is likely to announce Rizwan as the new captain for ODI and T20I formats.
