PCB announces central contracts with only two names in Category A

Just after Pakistan won the home Test series against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the new central contracts for men’s cricketers for the ongoing 2024-25 season. 

The PCB has offered the 2024-25 central contracts to 25 cricketers. This contract is effective from July 1, 2024, for 12 months. 

The PCB officially stated, “The contracts have been offered under the structure that was agreed last year between the players and the PCB for a three-year period.”

Five new names in the central contract

Out of the 25 players, five have been named for the first time in the annual central contracts. These players are Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan. All of these players have been named in Category D. 

Only Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been named in Category A. 

Test captain Shan Masood has earned Category B along with the top pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi. 

Nine cricketers have been named in Category C, and 11 players have been included in Category D. The players like Haris Rauf, Saud Shakeel, and Abdullah Shafique are in Category C. 

2024-25 Central Contract

Category A: Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

Category B: Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood

Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan

Category D: Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Usman Khan

Pakistan recently won the home Test series against England

After losing the shocking home Test series against Bangladesh by 2-0, Pakistan recently won another home Test series against England. Despite losing the first Test shockingly, Pakistan dominated the next two Tests to stunningly win the series. 

Pakistan will now travel to Australia for a three-match ODI and another three-match T20I series. Then, they will play another three-match ODI and T20I series in Zimbabwe tour.