(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
PCB Announces Men’s Central Contracts 2025–26
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the men’s central contracts for the 2025–26 season, introducing structural changes and expanding the player pool.
The latest list includes 30 contracted players, up from 27 last year, highlighting PCB’s focus on depth, succession planning, and rewarding emerging talent.
Key Highlights
✅ Expanded Pool – 30 players are now part of the central contracts, reflecting investment in both youth and experienced cricketers.
✅ Category Changes – The previous “A” category has been merged, with top performers now placed in Category B, while Categories C and D accommodate rising and format-specific players.
✅ Senior Players – Established batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are placed in Category B. Leading pacers remain central to the structure, with both red-ball and white-ball bowlers represented.
✅ White-Ball Focus – The contracts align with Pakistan’s preparations for the Asia Cup 2025 and the upcoming T20 calendar, while maintaining balance for Test cricket.
Pakistan Central Contracts 2025–26
Category B
-
Abrar Ahmed
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Babar Azam
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Fakhar Zaman
-
Haris Rauf
-
Hasan Ali
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Mohammad Rizwan
-
Saim Ayub
-
Salman Ali Agha
-
Shadab Khan
-
Shaheen Afridi
Category C
-
Abdullah Shafique
-
Faheem Ashraf
-
Hassan Nawaz
-
Mohammad Haris
-
Mohammad Nawaz
-
Naseem Shah
-
Noman Ali
-
Sahibzada Farhan
-
Sajid Khan
-
Saud Shakeel
Category D
-
Ahmed Danyal
-
Hussain Talat
-
Khurram Shahzad
-
Khushdil Shah
-
Mohammad Abbas
-
Abbas Afridi
-
Mohammad Wasim Jr.
-
Salman Mirza
-
Shan Masood
-
Sufyan Muqeem
📌 With the Asia Cup just around the corner, these contracts underline PCB’s focus on short-format cricket, while also keeping long-term Test options in sight.
