Pakistan Cricket Board Downgrades Babar Azam and Rizwan Contracts

BREAKING: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a significant downgrade in the central contracts for star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. This shocking decision comes as the PCB reveals its updated roster of centrally contracted players, which was made public earlier today in Islamabad.

In a surprising move, both Babar and Rizwan, who were previously in Category A, have been relegated to Category B. They will now join players like Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf, among others. The PCB did not award any contracts in the highest tier, opting instead to classify players into categories B, C, and D, with ten players each.

This decision comes on the heels of criticism regarding Babar Azam’s recent performance, with Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson stating that Babar needs to improve his strike-rate and ability to handle spin in T20 formats. As a consequence, selectors have excluded both Babar and Rizwan from the upcoming T20 squad for the Asia Cup and a tri-series in the United Arab Emirates.

The PCB is facing scrutiny after Pakistan finished at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship. Additionally, the board has demoted test captain Shan Masood from Category B to Category D. Fast bowler Naseem Shah, also dropped from T20 tournaments, has seen his contract tier reduced from the second to the third category.

In a twist of fate, Usman Khan, the wicketkeeper-batter who opted to represent Pakistan instead of the UAE, was among eight players who did not receive a central contract. However, several players have seen their fortunes improve, with Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, and others being upgraded from Category C to Category B.

The new contracts will run through June 30, 2026. The cricket community is abuzz with reactions to these changes, as they signal a pivotal moment for Pakistani cricket and its leadership moving forward.

In summary, the PCB’s latest contract updates reflect a strategic shift in player management and performance expectations. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how this will impact the team’s performance in upcoming international competitions.