Star players felt 'disrespected, shocked' after PCB's decision to remove Category A contracts

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were removed from Category A. (Photo: ICC)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly shocked senior players by removing Category A from the central contract, which went into force on July 1, 2025, and lasted until June 30, 2026. The only two players in Category A the previous season were Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. On Tuesday, the PCB announced the news as 30 male cricketers received their contracts.

PCB increased the pool to 30 players, including 12 new recruits, from the 27 players on the contract list from the previous year. These players were split equally between B, C, and D categories. Interestingly, this cycle has seen no player nominated for Category A.

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Cricket Pakistan reported that senior players, who want to remain anonymous, "were not only shocked but also displeased, feeling disrespected." It also stated that some of these cricketers even contemplated rejecting the central contract after venting their frustrations to one another in private discussions. For those who are unaware, a player does not need a central contract to represent the nation.

The only players in Category A the previous season, Babar and Rizwan, were dropped to Category B.

According to reports, a board official contacted the players on Monday to inform them of the decision. The selectors did not provide an explanation for their choice following the formal announcement.

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There was also a suggestion in the report that "few players got contracts or promotions under the influence of Aaqib Javed and coach Mike Hesson." The inclusion of Faheem Ashraf, who only participated in nine Twenty20 Internationals this season and claimed six wickets while scoring 97 runs, was actually questioned.

PCB sources, however, disputed the allegation of partiality and emphasized that "100% merit was followed, and as players' performances improve, their contract categories will also improve accordingly."