The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its central contracts for the 2025–26 season, a move that has initiated considerable debate among cricket enthusiasts. In a surprising move, no Pakistani cricketer has been awarded a Category A contract, a category typically reserved for the country’s most prominent players.
Key players such as Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who have been central to Pakistan’s batting efforts, have been placed in Category B. The PCB has stated “inconsistent performances” as the basis for this change, signalling a focus on performance moving forward. The contracts, which will be in effect from July 2025 to June 2026, cover 30 players across Categories B, C, and D. Here’s the new pay structure: Category B: PKR 3 million per month (about 8.7 lakh), Category C: PKR 1.5 million per month (about 4.3 lakh), and Category D: PKR 0.75 million per month (about 2.1 lakh). Furthermore, the PCB has updated match fees: PKR 1.25 million for a Test, PKR 6.44 lakh for an ODI, and PKR 4.18 lakh for a T20I.
In comparison, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to generously reward its top players. India’s 2024-25 annual contracts, effective from October 2024 to September 2025, include four categories: A+, A, B, and C. The A+ Category (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja) earns Rs 7 crore annually, Category A (KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant) earns Rs 5 crore annually, Category B (Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer) earns Rs 3 crore annually, and Category C (Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson) earns Rs 1 crore annually. This disparity highlights the financial strength of the BCCI while also reflecting its strategy of honoring its biggest stars while fostering upcoming talents.
The PCB’s decision signals a shift towards a performance-focused structure, potentially creating motivation but also carrying the risk of upsetting veteran players. With upcoming major tournaments, including the Asia Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup, the cricket world will closely monitor if this tactic results in greater consistency or creates internal issues within the team.