Terminations about to flood as PCB likely to cut contract ties with several cricketers

Pakistan Cricket Team. (Photo Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is currently revising the players’ central contracts for the upcoming 2023–2024 season. The present central agreements for the players are going to expire on June 30; therefore, the cricket governing body has begun discussing new contracts for the forthcoming season.

Following conversation with captain Babar Azam and other senior cricketers, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) intends to make a number of alterations to the central contracts involving the promotion and demotion of numerous players.

Sources indicate that the modifications to contracts could result in a 20% increase in player compensation. Following conversations with the captain, a list of players under contract will be prepared and presented to the PCB management committee, which is directed by Najam Sethi. The PCB will is likely to continue taking the same route,  granting separate contracts for red-ball and white-ball cricket. The contracts will be divided into three categories A, B, and C.

Fawad Alam, Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir ‘expected to lose PCB central agreements’

As part of the contract alterations, veteran batter Azhar Ali will be no longer on the list of centrally-contracted players due to his retirement. Additionally, it is possible that players like Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Abid Ali, Yasir Shah, Nauman Ali, Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, and Zahid Mehmood are likely to lose their central contracts.

Meanwhile, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Babar Azam are expected to stay in Category A. Moreover, promotions in their contracts are expected to fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. Notably, Naseem Shah will be counted in both the red and white ball categories. Other players apparently included in the contract list are Iftikhar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Ihsanullah, Usama Mir, Mohammad Haris, and Zaman Khan. Sarfaraz Ahmed, a former captain, is expected to keep his red-ball contract. 

By the end of June, the PCB intends to have the players sign the amended contracts; therefore, it is aggressively trying to finalise the updated central contracts.