Which players missed out on PCB central contracts 2025-26?

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced the men’s central contracts for the 2025-26 season, confirming the removal of Category A and revealing the exclusion of several notable cricketers.

Eight players who were part of Category D in last year’s contracts have missed out this time.

The list includes Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan, none of whom have been awarded contracts for the upcoming year.

Unlike previous years, no player has been placed in Category A. Instead, the PCB has slotted 10 players each into Categories B, C, and D.

Compared to last year’s pool of 27, the list has now been expanded to 30 players, with 12 new entrants making their way into the setup.

The newcomers include 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.

Five players have been rewarded with promotions on the back of consistent performances last season. Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan have all been elevated from Category C to Category B.

Meanwhile, nine cricketers have retained their positions. Among them are Abdullah Shafique in Category C; Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr in Category D; Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Saud Shakeel in Category C; and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who continues in Category B.

The new contracts will be effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.