The pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gave central contracts to a total of 25 male players for the 2024-25 international cricket season. This contract came into effect from July 1, 2024. In this contract, a surprising decision was taken on former pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan. Both the players were kept apart in the central contract. Giving information, the pakistan Board said that this central contract has been introduced on the same lines, which was agreed between the players and the board last year for a period of three years. The central contract with a period of three years is the same one that was introduced by the pakistan Board just before the 2023 ODI World Cup, but the board was forced to review it after the team's poor performance in the tournament.
Babar-Rizwan kept separate, five new players also joined
The central contract issued by PCB was divided into a total of 'four' categories, which include 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D'. Only Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were kept in the highest 'A' category. Apart from this, five newly added players were made part of the 'D' category. Among the new players, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan are included. At the same time, star players like shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Test captain Shan Masood were kept in the 'B' category. Apart from this, some star players were seen in the 'C' category.
List and category of players with central contract
'A' category (2 players) - Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
'B' Category (3 players)- Naseem Shah, shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.
'C' Category (9 players)- Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, salman ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan.
D Category (11 players)- Aamir Jamal, Hasibullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Usman Khan.
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