The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced central contracts for 30 national cricketers for the 2025-26 season, but for the first time in recent years no player has been placed in the prestigious Category A.
The contracts, which will remain effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, have divided players across three groups — Categories B, C, and D — with 10 players in each.
Category B
Prominent stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, previously in Category A, have been moved down to Category B.
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They are joined by Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha, rounding up the 10 players in this category.
Category C
Category C features a blend of young talent and experienced performers. The list includes Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, and Sajid Khan. Also making the cut are Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Sohaibzada Farhan, Hassan Nawaz, and Noman Ali.
Category D
The PCB has placed a mix of experienced cricketers and rising players in Category D. Among them are Shan Masood, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Abbas, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. They are joined by Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, Khurram Shahzad, and Sufyan Muqim.
According to board officials, the categories were finalized strictly on the basis of individual performances and consistency. The absence of Category A recipients is seen as a clear message from the PCB that senior players as well as newcomers must raise their standards on the field.
