The Pakistan Cricket Board has finally put together its new central contracts for players and is all set to launch them, featuring major upheavals. They will involve various categories of players because of their recent performances and fitness levels. The PCB will reward those players who have been performing consistently and want to introduce new standards for the team. One of the notable changes will be the likely elevation of fast bowler Naseem Shah to a Category A contract. Some strong performances by Naseem have warranted this upgrade, signaling his increasing importance in the team. This promotion will be a big milestone in his cricketing career.
New central contracts from PCB
On the other hand, some players are bound to look at downgrades due to their inconsistent performances. For example, Shadab Khan has been out of form for quite a while and can be demoted to a lower category. With the committee keen to consider present form and fitness, the players must keep performing regularly.
The PCB has consulted with selectors and coaching staff at length, including the legendary Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie. In these meetings, factors of performance and fitness have been quoted as key bases on which the renewals are going to be based. The intention is to reward only the best-performing and fittest players.
According to the group, there will be no downgrades at all, and the players’ salaries will stay the same. The step has been taken to give the players financial stability and to push them to perform better. Everything is about creating a competitive environment without making them financially distressed.
Potential changes
These elite Category A contracts are presently held by Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. Quite obviously, therefore, induction into this select group underlines Naseem Shah’s growing stature within Pakistani cricket. Therefore, it should prove an incentive for him and other players to try harder for better performance standards.
Players like Mohammad Nawaz and Imad Wasim might find it hard to retain their central contract positions. Their recent form has not been up to par; because of that, it will become hard for them to seal a place. The strict criteria that PCB follows ensure that only the best performers get retained.
Strategic shift in NOCs
In what appears to be a strategic move, PCB issued a ban on the issuance of the No Objection Certificate to all-format players for participation in various leagues. The cricketers will now remain focused on national duties. Earlier, the board was planning to downgrade players after the T20 World Cup, but upon the advice of Gary Kirsten, he reconsidered his move.
Openers Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman are likely to remain in Category B because their consistent performances in the two formats have resulted in some stability in terms of contract positions. Effectively, it acknowledges merit in versatility and consistency. The red-ball captain, Shan Masood, will more or less remain in Category B. His leadership and performance in Test matches have been outstanding, and he certainly deserves to be retained. The PCB’s criteria guarantee that key players in various formats are suitably rewarded. The PCB is likely to cut down on the number of players in category D and may even abolish it altogether. This step would provide for a leaner and more competitive contract system, with only those players who deserve it on it.
The new changes that are going to come in the PCB central contracts mark a new era for Pakistan cricket. With more emphasis on performance and fitness, the board is striving hard to shape up a better team that can take on all challenges. The cricketers are required to maintain their best performances so that Pakistan cricket develops and flourishes at the international level.
