The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the new central contracts for national players. In the latest update, no player has been included in Category A, while former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan have been demoted from Category A to Category B.
According to the PCB, based on performance, 10 players each have been placed in Categories B, C, and D, making a total of 30 contracted players. These contracts will remain valid from July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2026.
Other notable names in Category B include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha.
Category C consists of Abdullah Shafique, Hasan Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel.
Category D includes Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shehzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Sources confirmed that there has been no increase in the monthly salaries of Category B players, all of whom will continue to earn PKR 4.5 million each month. However, players in Categories C and D have received an increment of PKR 200,000 to PKR 400,000 in their contracts. Previously, Category C players were earning PKR 2 million, while Category D players received PKR 1.2 million.
The PCB stated that the decision was made on the basis of recent performance and policy considerations, ensuring merit-based recognition and motivation for players.
