PCB central contracts 2025/26: Babar, Rizwan demoted; no Category A
What's the story
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its central contracts for the 2025/26 season. The new list includes 30 players, an increase from last year's 27. However, there's a major change - no Category A this time around. This category was previously reserved for star players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The two have now been moved down to Category B after being dropped from Pakistan's T20 Asia Cup squad as well.
Strategic change
Major changes in player categories
The absence of a Category A in the 2025/26 contracts signals a major strategic shift by the PCB. The board has added 12 new players to its roster, including Ahmed Daniyal, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, and Sufyan Moqim among others. Five players have been promoted for their consistent performances in the previous season. They are Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan.
Player exclusion
A look at the dropped players
The new contracts also highlight the cutthroat competition in Pakistan cricket. Players like Aamir Jamal, Kamran Ghulam, and Usman Khan have been dropped from the list completely. This leaves room for new talent to emerge and prove their worth. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's demotion from Category A to B, just days after being left out of the Asia Cup squad, indicates a shift toward a more aggressive approach across formats.
Central contracts
PCB's 2025/26 centrally contacted players
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.