PCB announces men's central contracts; Babar, Rizwan demoted

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the new men’s central contracts for the upcoming year, expanding the list from 27 players to 30, while demoting star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, ARY News reported.

According to the PCB, players have been placed in Categories B, C, and D based on performance, with 10 players in each group. The board has abolished Category A, which previously included top performers.

As a result, star batter Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan have been moved down from Category A to Category B.

Joining them in Category B are Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha.

Category C features Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, and Noman Ali.

Category D includes Shan Masood, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, Khurram Shehzad, and Sufiyan Muqeem.

Among the 12 new players awarded central contracts this year are Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufiyan Muqeem.

The PCB stated that the restructuring of the central contracts aims to reward consistent performers while creating opportunities for emerging talent.

Also Read: Babar, Rizwan left out as PCB announces 17-man squad for Asia Cup, UAE tri-series

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 17-member national squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and the tri-nation series in the UAE, with a major headline being the exclusion of star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been named captain of the side. The Pakistan squad features a blend of experience and young talent, including Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali.

Other notable names in the team are Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, and Mohammad Nawaz, while Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Sufiyan Muqeem also secure places.

Wasim Junior and Sahibzada Farhan complete the 17-man squad.

The absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan marks a significant change in Pakistan’s approach, as the selectors aim to test new combinations ahead of future tournaments.

Pakistan squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.