PCB drops Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal from central contract

According to sources, the PCB has short-listed name of players for the central contract which will be announced before the tour of West Indies. Struggling off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has also been dropped, while Muhammad Amir has made a return after six years.

This is the first time in ten years that Afridi has not been offered a central contract, while Saeed Ajmal has also been dropped after six years.

Apart from that all-rounder Anwar Ali, Harris Sohail, Junaid Khan and Sohaib Maqsood have also been dropped from the central contract, while Sohail Khan who secured 13 wickets during the ongoing tour of England is expected to receive a central contract.

Along with Muhammad Amir those who have been short-listed include Imad Wasim and Sharjeel Khan, while T20 captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is expected to be promoted to Category A, while the categories of Babar Azam, Sami Aslam, Muhammad Rizwan and Shaan Masood is expected to be reshuffled.

The PCB has announced schedules of all domestic tournaments which includes the National T20 Cup and the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. There have been several changes including a substantial raise in match fees, daily allowances and other facilities for players and the introduction of pink Kookaburra balls to familarise with such condition.

However, the participation of Afridi in the upcoming national T20 tournament is also doubtful as he underwent precautionary MRI scans after feeling pain in his right knee. He has not been dropped from the sole T20 match to be played against England at Old Trafford, Manchester on September 7.