Babar, Rizwan demoted as PCB announces central contracts for 2025-26; no players in Category A
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced central contracts for 30 male cricketers for the upcoming 2025–26 international season, with no players placed in the top-tier Category A.
According to PCB’s 2025-26 budget documents, last month saw an increase in the count of male and female players on the central contract lists.
A press release from PCB today states that the contracts, valid from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, “demonstrate the board’s ongoing dedication to acknowledging and fostering national talent.”
The roster for this year includes ten players assigned to Categories B, C, and D, with the PCB noting that “no player has been chosen for Category A in this cycle.”
It is noteworthy that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were the sole players in Category A for the 2024-25 season.
The pair have experienced a decline in their stock over the past year; the once key batsmen being excluded from the T20 team.
“Relative to last year’s roster of 27 contracted players, the PCB has increased the number to 30, featuring 12 new signings, showcasing the rise of promising young talent and the board’s strategic emphasis on squad depth and future growth,” stated PCB.
The fresh additions include: 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.
The PCB announced that five players have been elevated due to their performances from last year. The individuals are: Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan — each elevated from C to B category.
Furthermore, nine players have maintained their spots in the same categories. The players include: Abdullah Shafique (Category C), Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr — all in Category D, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel — all in Category C, and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Category B).
PCB acknowledged that eight players have not secured contracts this year, specifically Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan — all belonging to Category (D).
List of players contacted centrally this year:
Category B (10 players): Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Category C (10 players): Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel.
Category D (10 players): Daniyal Ahmed, Talat Hussain, Shahzad Khurram, Shah Khushdil, Abbas Mohammad, Afridi Mohammad Abbas, Jnr Wasim Mohammad, Mirza Salman, Masood Shan, and Moqim Sufyan.