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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its central contracts for the 2024-25 season on Sunday, October 27, revealing significant changes, including the exclusion of Fakhar Zaman and the demotion of star pacer Shaheen Afridi from Category A to Category B.
Fakhar Zaman’s exclusion from the central contracts marks the first time in eight years the opener has not been retained. His removal comes shortly after his criticism of PCB’s decision to rest Babar Azam during the England Test series, which he voiced openly on social media. In response, PCB issued him a “show cause” notice, and he now finds himself outside the contracted player list.
Besides Fakhar, other notable players missing from this year’s central contracts include Iftikhar Ahmed, Hassan Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Imam-ul-Haq.
Shaheen Afridi’s demotion from Category A is another unexpected change in the new contract list. Shaheen, who previously shared Category A alongside Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, is now in Category B, which groups him with Test captain Shan Masood and pacer Naseem Shah.
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New Entrants to the Contract List
The new contract list also saw the addition of fresh talent, with Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Ali, and Usman Khan receiving contracts under Category D. This inclusion highlights PCB’s focus on nurturing emerging players alongside experienced names.
Centrally Contracted Players for 2024-25
Category A (2): Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Category B (3): Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood
Category C (9): Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shadab Khan
Category D (11): Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, and Usman Khan.
The PCB’s revamped list reflects a balance of senior players, upcoming talent, and a possible shift in team strategy.
