(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
PCB Announces Central Contracts for 2025–26 Season
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan moved to Category B, Shan Masood shifted to Category D
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled the men’s central contracts for the 2025–26 season, with several notable changes in player categories. The contracts, effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, cover 30 players, expanding the pool compared to last year’s 27.
A major talking point is the demotion of senior stars. Former skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who were in Category A last season, now find themselves in Category B. Meanwhile, Shan Masood, previously in Category B, has dropped to Category D. Interestingly, no player has been placed in Category A this year.
The 30-man roster includes 12 fresh entrants: Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim.
Promotions and Retentions
Five players have earned promotions thanks to their recent performances: Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan, all moving from Category C to B.
Nine cricketers, including Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique and Sajid Khan, have retained their spots in the same categories as last year.
Players Left Out
Eight names have missed out this season, including Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan, who were previously in Category D.
Final Contract Breakdown for 2025–26
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Category B: Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel.
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Category D: Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, Sufyan Moqim.
With the absence of Category A contracts, the PCB’s latest move reflects a significant shift in its evaluation of senior and emerging talent, setting the tone for the upcoming cricketing year.
