PCB awards Babar, Rizwan and Afridi all-format contracts

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday handed three-format contracts to captain Babar Azam, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for 2022-23. 

For the first time, the PCB has introduced separate red and white-ball contracts, with a total of 33 players receiving central contracts for the next calendar year starting from July 1. 

Along with the Babar, Rizwan and Afridi, pacer Hasan Ali and top-order batter Imam-ul-Haq have been awarded both red and white-ball contracts.

Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain, who are currently suspended for faulty bowling actions, have been left out of the list while Shan Masood, Naseem Shah and Haider Ali are among the 13 players who have been added to the latest contracts list. 

“I understand there will be a few disappointed players who have missed out on contracts, but I want to reiterate that we are not limiting and restricting ourselves to these 33 players. As and when required, players from outside the list will be included," Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim said in an official release.

Among them, seven players - Ali Usman, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Huraira, Qasim Akram and Salman Ali Agha - have been placed in the Emerging Category.

Meanwhile, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir have been promoted from Emerging to Category D

Experienced batter Azhar Ali has been promoted to Category A for red-ball while Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman received Category A contracts for white-ball.

“I want to congratulate all those who have earned central contracts for the 2022-23 season, especially our four younger players who have received red-ball contracts for the first time as part of our vision and strategy to identify, groom and develop specialists for the traditional and purist format of the game," Wasim said.

“We have also expanded our category of emerging cricketers from three to seven as it is very important for us to groom those cricketers who have potential to make it to the top level and give an incentive to those players who have excelled in our domestic tournaments,” he added.