The Pakistan Cricket Board has made bold changes in its latest round of central contracts, and some of the country’s most celebrated cricketers have not been spared. Former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, two of Pakistan’s most consistent performers in recent years, have been demoted from Category A to Category B, sending a strong signal about the board’s new approach to performance and selection.
Shan Masood has been hit even harder. Despite guiding Pakistan to a 2-1 Test series victory over England last year, his struggles as captain have overshadowed that achievement. With nine defeats in 12 Tests under his leadership and Pakistan finishing bottom of the 2023-25 World Test Championship standings, Masood now finds himself sliding from Category B to Category D.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah has also seen a downgrade, falling to Category C, while others have enjoyed upward moves. Spinner Shadab Khan, rising leg-break talent Abrar Ahmed, and pacer Haris Rauf have all been rewarded for their growing impact, moving up to Category B.
In a striking development, no player has been offered a Category A contract this year. Head coach Mike Hesson suggested one reason behind Babar Azam’s fall was the need for him to address weaknesses against spin and improve his strike rate in T20 cricket. His absence from the T20 side since December 2024 further underlined the selectors’ concerns.
The changes come just weeks before the T20 Asia Cup, scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28, where both Babar and Rizwan have been excluded from Pakistan’s squad.
The updated list of contracted players reflects a reshaping of Pakistan’s priorities. Category B now includes Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed and Hasan Ali. Category C features Naseem Shah, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Faheem Ashraf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sajid Khan, Hasan Nawaz and Noman Ali. Category D names Shan Masood, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Khurram Shahzad, Ahmed Daniyal, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Salman Mirza, Hussain Talat and Sufiyan Muqeem.
The latest shake-up makes one thing clear — reputations alone will no longer guarantee Pakistan’s top stars a place in the highest contract bracket.
