Pakistan Cricket Board Announces 2024-25 Central Contracts
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has awarded central contracts for the 2024-25 season to 25 cricketers, effective from July 1, 2024. Five players, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan, have received contracts for the first time, placed in Category D.
Key Players and Categories
Shan Masood, Pakistan’s Test captain, retains his Category B status after leading the team to a series win. Babar Azam, despite being dropped from recent Test matches, remains in Category A, alongside Mohammad Rizwan. Shaheen Afridi has been moved to Category B, while Fakhar Zaman has not received a contract for the first time in eight years due to fitness concerns and a strained relationship with the PCB.
Upcoming Tours and Squad Announcements
Pakistan has announced squads for upcoming white-ball series against Australia and Zimbabwe starting November 4. Babar Azam will be rested for the Zimbabwe tour, while Mohammad Rizwan will play in both Australia matches and Zimbabwe ODIs but skip the T20Is. Newcomers Kamran Ghulam, Omair Bin Yousuf, and Sufyan Moqim will debut, with Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Saim Ayub joining the ODI squad.
Contract Categories
| Category A | Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan |
|---|---|
| Category B | Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood |
| Category C | Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, 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, Usman Khan |
Doubts Revealed
Pakistan Cricket Board -: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the organization that manages cricket in Pakistan. It is responsible for organizing matches, selecting players, and making decisions about the national cricket team.
Central Contracts -: Central contracts are agreements between the cricket board and players. They ensure that players are paid a salary for representing their country in cricket matches.
Category A and B -: These categories are levels of contracts given to players based on their performance and importance to the team. Category A is for top players, while Category B is for those who are important but not at the top level.
Shan Masood -: Shan Masood is a Pakistani cricketer who plays as a batsman. He has been given a Category B contract, which means he is an important player for the team.
Babar Azam -: Babar Azam is a famous Pakistani cricketer and the captain of the national team. He is one of the best players and has a Category A contract.
Mohammad Rizwan -: Mohammad Rizwan is a Pakistani cricketer who plays as a wicketkeeper-batsman. He is also in Category A, meaning he is a top player for Pakistan.
Shaheen Afridi -: Shaheen Afridi is a Pakistani cricketer known for his fast bowling. He has been moved to Category B, indicating he is still important but not at the top level.
Fakhar Zaman -: Fakhar Zaman is a Pakistani cricketer known for his aggressive batting. He did not receive a central contract this time, which means he might not be playing as much for the national team.
Debutants -: Debutants are players who are playing for the national team for the first time. They are new to the team and are getting their first chance to play in international matches.
