LAHORE: Pakistan cricket is heading for a significant shake-up in its central contracts ahead of the new cycle starting on July 1, with several players expected to lose their posts while top domestic players are in line for promotion, sources said. Jio is super On Friday.
The current funding model for federal contracts expires on June 30. The system was introduced in 2023 under former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zagah Ashraf and was initially designed for a three-year cycle.
According to sources, no change in the financial structure under current PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is yet to be finalised. Final approval regarding the revised system and player categories will be taken by him in due course.
Last year, the PCB named 30 central contract players for the 2025-26 season, expanding the squad from 27 cricketers.
For the first time, no player was placed in the A division, instead distributing the players in the B, C and D divisions.
The previous cycle also saw a major overhaul, with 12 new players added to the central contract list, including Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Dalat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz and Sufyan Mukeem.
On the performance front, several players like Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha and Shatab Khan were promoted from Division C to Division B following strong international performances.
However, with the PCB likely to make extensive changes based on the latest format, fitness standards and consistency across formats, sources suggest that another big change can now be expected.
The upcoming results are expected to significantly reshape the structure of central contract players for the new cycle.