The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its central contracts for the 2025-26 season, which includes significant changes in player categories and salaries. A notable shift sees Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, both prominent figures in Pakistan’s cricket, demoted from Category A to Category B. This alteration directly impacts their compensation, leading to a reduction in their earnings.
Furthermore, the PCB made a surprising move by demoting Shaheen Afridi from Category A, leaving the top category without any players. In total, the PCB has awarded central contracts to 30 players, structured across three categories.
Category B features a mix of established and emerging talents, including Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Sam Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha. Category C comprises Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Saud Shakeel, and Mohammad Haris, among others. Some players, like Sufiyan Muqeem, Salman Mirza, and Hussain Talat, have earned their first central contracts.
The Central Contracts are distributed as follows:
**Category B:** Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Sam Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
**Category C:** Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel.
**Category D:** Ahmad Danial, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Salman Mirza, Shan Masood, and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Beyond Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, three more players have experienced demotions. Test captain Shan Masood was demoted from Category B to Category D. Fast bowler Naseem Shah also moved from Category B to C, while Shaheen Shah Afridi was demoted from Grade A to Grade B.