Pakistan Cricket Board has given central contracts to 25 players.
PCB Central Contract 2024-25: Pakistan cricket team recently won the Test series against England by 2-1. The team has won the Test series at home since 2021 and this is also their first win under the captaincy of Shan Masood. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the Men’s Central Contract for the 2024-25 season. The board has given central contracts to 25 players and these will be effective from July 1, 2024.
PCB Central Contract: Former Pakistani captain Babar Azam is in ‘A’ category
Babar Azam has been struggling with poor form for some time. Babar was also rested for the last two Tests against England. He has been retained as the top player of the men’s team. Mohammad Rizwan is also present in ‘A’ category in the central contract along with Babar. Pakistan’s current Test captain Shan Masood is in the ‘B’ category, which also includes Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Five young players were also given central contracts
Taking a historic step, Pakistan Cricket Board has given central contracts to five emerging young players. These players have been placed in ‘D’ category and include Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan.
Whereas in ‘C’ category, players like Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Aga, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan have been kept.
Pakistan Cricket Board said in the official media release, “These contracts have been offered under the structure that was agreed between the players and the PCB last year for a period of three years.”
Pakistan’s central contract players for the 2024-25 international season-
category | total players | names of players |
A | 2 | Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan |
B | 3 | Naseem Shah, Shan Masood, Shaheen Shah Afridi |
C | 9 | Badullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Aga, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan. |
D | 11 | Aamir Jamal, Hasibullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Usman Khan |