Pakistan Cricket Board announces central contracts for 2024-25 season; Babar Azam's close friends left out
Published - 27 Oct 2024, 02:45 PM | Updated - 27 Oct 2024, 11:41 PM
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the new central contracts list for the 2024-25 season, with Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan in the top category. However, Babar Azam's close friends, Fakhar Zaman and Hasan Ali, have been excluded from the contract list by the PCB.
The PCB made the announcement ahead of the white-ball tour of Australia. The contracts are effective for one year starting July 1, 2024. Earlier, the PCB had offered three-year contracts to players before the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the board revised contracts after the team's poor performance.
Babar Azam Among 25 Players In Central Contracts For 2024-25 Season
On Sunday, October 27, the PCB issued an official statement on central contracts for the 2024-25 international season. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been included in Category A. Meanwhile, young fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have been demoted to Category B.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has awarded 12-month central contracts to 25 men’s cricketers for the 2024-25 international season, effective from 1 July 2024. The contracts have been offered under the structure that was agreed last year between the players and the PCB for a three-year period," the PCB statement read.
Shan Masood Promoted To Group B After Leading 2-1 Series Win
Test captain Shan Masood has been promoted from Category D to B in the contracts after leading Pakistan to a 2-1 series victory against England at home. Spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub, and Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel have been included in Group C.
The PCB has awarded central contracts for the first time to five emerging players, including Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan. They are all placed in Category D as part of a reward to encourage young talent.
"As part of the PCB’s strategy to incentivise, encourage and reward talented and emerging cricketers, five players have been offered central contracts for the first time. They are Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan. These players have been placed in Category D," the statement added.
Pakistan Cricket Board's central contract list for 2024-25 (men)
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| A | Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan |
| B | Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood |
| C | Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan |
| D | Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Usman Khan |
Several players, including Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Zaman Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Imad Wasim, were excluded from Pakistan's central contracts for the 2024-25 season. After the recent England Test series, Pakistan will tour Australia for the white-ball series, starting on November 4.
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Babar Azam Mohammad Rizwan Fakhar Zaman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Pakistan National Cricket Team Hasan Ali
