Pakistan Cricket Board (BCB) has left out Category A altogether in its latest men’s central contracts, a move that sees former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan pushed down a tier.
The board named 30 players for the 2025–26 cycle. Ten of them are in Category B, including Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Afridi.
Also joining that group are Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali. Several of them earned promotions after strong runs over the past year.
There are no Category A players this time. Last season, only Babar and Rizwan held that status. Both men were also overlooked for the upcoming Asia Cup squad, a sign of shifting priorities.
Category C and D each contain 10 names. Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah and Saud Shakeel are among those in Category C, while Shan Masood, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Khushdil Shah are in Category D.
The list includes 12 new additions, a signal that selectors want to broaden the pool and bet on emerging players. Contracts run through June 2026.