What Are the Major Changes in PCB’s New 2024-25 Central Contracts?

Grassroots Cricket|

PCB has unveiled its latest central contracts for the 2024-2025 season, effective from July 1, 2024. The announcement follows Pakistan’s recent Test series win over England and reflects several key changes to player placements within the central contract categories.

As the new contracts roll out, both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan retain their status in Category A. Notably, Shaheen Shah Afridi has been demoted from Category A to Category B.

Moreover, five players have been awarded central contracts for the first time: Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan.

Meanwhile, senior players Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Sarfaraz Ahmed have not secured annual central contracts this season. Other prominent omissions include Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, both of whom were part of Category B last year.

Pakistan’s red-ball captain Shan Masood has been promoted from last year’s Category D to Category B. Additionally, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Saud Shakeel have all been elevated to Category C, while Sajid Khan is a new addition in this category.

Several players, however, did not make the central contracts list for the new season. Among them are Mohammad Nawaz, Shahnawaz Dahani, Faheem Ashraf, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan, and others previously in Category D.

 

List of centrally contracted players:

Category A (2): Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

Category B (3): Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood

Category C (9): Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan

Category D (11): Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Usman Khan