The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced central contracts for the 2025–26 season, including 30 players.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have both been downgraded in the new list, moving down to Category B. Notably, no player has been placed in the top Category A.
The PCB released the contracted players’ names on Tuesday, confirming that 30 cricketers have been given contracts for the next year, effective from July 1, 2025.
Last year, only Babar and Rizwan were placed in the top category, but after failing to meet team expectations—and losing their places in the T20I squad—both have slipped one tier lower this time.
Several players have earned promotions. Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, opener Saim Ayub, fast bowler Haris Rauf, all-rounder Shadab Khan, and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed have all moved up from Category C to Category B.
Veterans Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, and Faheem Ashraf have also returned to central contracts. Meanwhile, the new faces in this year’s list include Ahmed Daniyal, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufiyan Muqim.
At the same time, several players from last year’s contracts have been left out: Aamer Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan.
Category B: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed.
Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Sahibzada Farhan.
Category D: Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, Sufiyan Muqim.
