Babar Azam, Rizwan Demoted to Category B: PCB’s New Central Contracts Triggers Troll Fest

PCB has released its central contracts for 2025-26, downgrading Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to Category B. No player was named in Category A, while 12 new faces earned contracts as Pakistan expanded the pool to 30 cricketers.

Pakistan’s former captain Babar Azam once hailed as the face of modern batting in the country, has found himself in the eye of an online storm. The latest central contracts list released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday downgraded him to Category B, triggering a wave of trolling and criticism on social media.

Fans, who once celebrated Babar’s effortless strokeplay, didn’t hold back, mocking his fall from the PCB’s elite list. Many cited his poor returns in recent ICC tournaments, while others claimed this was “long overdue” given Pakistan’s dismal run in marquee events.

No Category A, Babar and Rizwan Demoted

The PCB confirmed that this year, no player was awarded a Category A contract, a rare move that underlined the board’s disappointment in its senior stars.

“The contracts, effective from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, reflect the Board’s continued commitment to recognising and supporting national talent. This year’s roster sees ten players each placed in Categories B, C, and D. Notably, no player has been selected for Category A in this cycle,” the PCB stated in its release.

Both Babar Azam and current ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan were pushed down to Category B, penalised for their “consistently poor show across all marquee events, including last year’s T20 World Cup, this year’s ICC Champions Trophy, and the bilaterals against Bangladesh and the West Indies.”

 

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Promotions Contrast Babar’s Slide

Adding salt to the wounds for Babar’s supporters, some of Pakistan’s younger stars were rewarded with promotions. T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha climbed from Category C to B, while Saim Ayub and Haris Rauf also rose up the ladder.

The contrast didn’t go unnoticed by fans online, who compared Babar’s decline with the upward graph of players touted as Pakistan’s future.

Social Media Buzz: “King No More?”

The announcement sparked a flood of memes and sarcastic posts. Critics mocked his inability to perform in high-pressure matches, with some joking that the demotion was “the only fifty he scored this year.” 

Supporters, however, felt the trolling was harsh, arguing that Babar’s class remains undeniable despite his slump.

 

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Expanding the Pool: 12 New Faces In

Away from the controversy, the PCB expanded the contract list from 27 to 30, introducing 12 new players, including Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim.

Nine players retained their positions, while eight, including Aamir Jamal and Mohammad Huraira, dropped out.

Pakistan’s Central Contract List 2025-26

Category B (10 players): Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, 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, 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, Sufyan Moqim

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