The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced central contracts for 30 men’s cricketers for the 2025–26 season, with no player placed in the top-tier Category A.
The contracts will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Players have been evenly split across Categories B, C, and D, ten in each. PCB said the expanded pool of 30 players — compared to 27 last year — reflects its “ongoing commitment to recognising and supporting national talent.”
Twelve players have received contracts for the first time, including 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 have been handed to Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan, who all move up from Category C to B. Among those retaining their positions are Shaheen Shah Afridi (Category B), Abdullah Shafique (Category C), and Saud Shakeel (Category C).
Meanwhile, eight players — including Aamir Jamal, Kamran Ghulam, and Mohammad Huraira — have been left out after being in Category D last year.
Notably, former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the only two Category A players last season, have been shifted to Category B. Their demotion reflects reduced roles in the T20 setup as the board pivots toward younger talent.
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