Rizwan, Babar Out of Category A – PCB Announces New Central Contracts

Rizwan, Babar Out of Category A – PCB Announces New Central Contracts

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the central contracts for the 2025–26 season, and the biggest news is that Mohammad Rizwan and former captain Babar Azam have been dropped from Category A.

No Player in Category A

For the first time, PCB has decided not to give Category A contracts to any player. In the past, this was reserved for the top performers, but the new system is designed to spread rewards across more players instead of focusing only on a few.

Rizwan and Babar in Category B

Both Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been placed in Category B. They are joined by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Saim Ayub.

30 Players Get Contracts

This year, 30 players have been awarded contracts compared to 27 last year.
Among them are 12 new names such as Ahmed Daniyal, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, and Hasan Ali.

At the same time, 8 players have been dropped, including Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Huraira, and Usman Khan.

Promotions and Demotions

Some players have been promoted due to strong performances. Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed moved up from Category C to Category B.
On the other hand, Shan Masood has faced a big drop and is now placed in Category D.

New System Goals

According to the PCB, these contracts will run from July 2025 to June 2026. With the new structure, the Board aims to create a more competitive environment and reward consistent performers at all levels.