PCB announces separate Red and White-Ball Central Contracts for 2022-23

Pakistan Cricket Board announced the men’s central contract list on Thursday, June 30, which will be effective from July 1, Friday. The board has announced different contracts for the red-ball and white-ball players, thereby categorizing them into two different divisions, and has also added four new names to the Emerging Category.

As a result of the division, a total of 33 players have earned a contract from the PCB, which is 13 more than last year’s contract. Pakistan’s all-format skipper Babar Azam has been awarded contract under both the categories alongside Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Azhar Ali, one of the ten players who have been given red-ball contracts, has advanced to Category A. While Naseem Shah and Abdullah Shafique have been given Category C contracts for the first time, Saud Shakeel has been given a Category D contract. While Abid Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shan Masood, and Yasir Shah earned Category D contracts, Fawad Alam and Nauman Ali are set to continue in Category B and C respectively.

White-ball contracts have been offered to eleven limited-over players. Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan have moved one scale above to be promoted to Category A. Haris Rauf has also moved a level up to earn a Category B contract whereas Mohammad Nawaz has been kept in Category C this year again.

Previous years’ emerging players awardees Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir have earned a Category D contract. Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Zahid Mehmood are the other players in the category.

In order to grow, develop and support domestic cricket in Pakistan, the board has added five more players in the Emerging Players category to take the tally to seven. Ali Usman, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Huraira, Qasim Akram and Salman Ali Agha have earned the spot in the Emerging Players category.

Major Developments in the contract system:

1. Hike in match fees by 10% across all formats.
2. Match fee for non-playing members increased from 50% to 70% of the entire match fee.
3. The establishment of a captaincy allowance to reimburse the team captain for the extra duties associated with that position
4. Allocation of funds for present players with the intention of managing and reducing the effort of elite athletes and ensuring that they are completely prepared, rested, and ready to play for Pakistan as and when needed.

Red and White Ball Contracts (5):

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi (all Category A), Hasan Ali (red-ball Category B, white-ball Category C) and Imam-ul-Haq (red-ball Category C, white-ball Category B)

Red Ball Contracts (10):

Category A – Azhar Ali

Category B – Fawad Alam

Category C – Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah and Nauman Ali

Category D – Abid Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah

White Ball Contracts (11):

Category A – Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan

Category B – Haris Rauf

Category C – Mohammad Nawaz

Category D – Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir and Zahid Mehmood

EMERGING CONTRACTS (7):

Ali Usman (Southern Punjab), Haseebullah (Balochistan), Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Haris (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Huraira (Northern), Qasim Akram (Central Punjab) and Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab).