New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have shockingly kept no players in Category A as they announced Pakistan’s central annual contracts for the 2025-26 cycle on Tuesday. PCB has demoted ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan and senior batter Babar Azam from Category A. Babar and Rizwan were the only two players in the top bracket in the last cycle.
PCB has deemed no player worthy enough of being awarded a Category A contract this time, highlighting the sad state of affairs in Pakistan cricket. Pakistan are no longer among the elite teams in world cricket at present and have been enduring a horror run across formats. After a disastrous campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 last year, Pakistan cricket has been facing a tumultuous period.
Pakistan suffered a group stage exit in the ODI World Cup 2023, before bowing out of the group stage once again in the T20 World Cup 2024, including a humiliating defeat at the hands of USA. They also failed to impress in the Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year. As PCB prepares for a huge rebuild to save Pakistan’s reputation on the world stage, they have taken a bold step in its central contracts decision.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan demoted to Category B
Babar and Rizwan, arguably the two biggest names in Pakistan cricket at present, have been demoted to Category B from the top bracket. Senior pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is also in Category B alongside T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha, young batting sensation Saim Ayub and senior all-rounder Shadab Khan, among others.
PCB has awarded central contracts to a total of 30 players, out of which 10 have been kept in Category B. Ten players, including the likes of Naseem Shah, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Haris, have been kept in Category C. The Majority of one-format players and some promising youngsters comprise the C category.
PCB central contracts complete list:
Category B (10 players): Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Category C (10 players): Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan and Saud Shakeel
Category D (10 players): Ahmed Daniyal, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Shan Masood and Sufyan Moqim