PCB Awards Central Contracts to 30 Players for 2025–26 Season

Lahore, August 19, 2025:The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced central contracts for 30 male cricketers for the 2025–26 season. The contracts will run from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The decision reflects PCB’s continued focus on rewarding national talent and ensuring strong squad depth.

This year’s structure includes ten players each in Categories B, C, and D. Interestingly, no player has been offered a Category A contract. The approach shows a balanced system that values both performance and emerging talent.

Compared to last year’s list of 27, the PCB has expanded the number of contracted players to 30. Among them are 12 new faces, a sign of the Board’s commitment to developing young cricketers and securing the future of the national team.

The new entrants include Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim. Their inclusion highlights the rising impact of domestic and international performers.

Five players earned promotions due to consistent performances last season. Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan all moved up from Category C to Category B. This step underscores PCB’s willingness to reward progress and hard work.

Nine players successfully retained their positions from last year. Abdullah Shafique, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel stayed in Category C. Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr remained in Category D, while Shaheen Shah Afridi continued in Category B.

However, eight players missed out on contracts this time. Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan—all from Category D—were dropped from the list. Their exclusion shows PCB’s tough stance on performance standards.

This year’s Category B players include Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Category C features Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, and Abdullah Shafique, while Category D has Shan Masood, Hussain Talat, and others. Together,