PCB announced the men’s central contract list for 2025-26 season, huge blow for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its men’s central contract list, offering contracts to 30 male cricketers for the 2025-26 international season. Effective from July 1, 2025, the new contracts reflect a major reshuffle by the board, given the team’s dismal performance. The revisions aim to reward recent form and create a more performance-driven environment. This year’s roster sees ten players each placed in Categories B, C, and D. Notably, no player has been selected for Category A in this cycle.

In a significant development, the PCB has rewarded five standout performers with well-deserved promotions in the latest central contracts. Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan have all moved up from Category C to Category B, reflecting their consistency and value to the national side over the past year. These promotions highlight the emergence of key faces in Pakistan cricket, players who not only delivered strong performances in recent series but have also shown the temperament to handle pressure at the international level.

At the same time, the PCB has retained a number of players in their existing categories. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues in Category B, reflecting his standing as the spearhead of Pakistan’s bowling attack. Meanwhile, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan remain in Category C, highlighting their consistent roles in the red-ball setup. Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, and Mohammad Abbas Afridi stay in Category D, ensuring a balanced pool of emerging and established talent.

In a surprising yet expected shake-up, the PCB has also made notable demotions in the central contracts. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, once cornerstones of Pakistan cricket, have been shifted from Category A to Category B following an extended run of poor form. Their omission from the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 and UAE T20I Tri-Series has further highlighted their struggles, marking a low point in their careers. With this change, the A category remains vacant for the 2025-26 season.

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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): Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood and Sufyan Moqim

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