Shan Masood promoted in Pakistan central contracts, Shaheen Afridi demoted

Pakistan have announced their central contracts for the men's team for the 2024-25 season. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are the ones in Category A while Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped to Category B.

In Short

• Shan Masood has moved up from Category D to B
• Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are there in category A
• Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq are among the ones to be left out

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named the central contracts for the 2024-25 international seasons, effective from July 1, 2024. Shan Masood has been promoted to Category D to Category B after Pakistan’s 2-1 series win over Ben Stokes’ England. Young fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed out on the last two Tests, has been demoted to category B.

The contracts have been issued based on the framework established last year in an agreement between the players and the PCB, covering a three-year period. Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Ali, and Usman Khan are the new entrants in the contract list and are in Category D.

List of centrally contracted players for Pakistan men’s team

Category A (2): Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

Category B (3): Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood

Category C (9): Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shadab Khan

Category D (11): Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Usman Khan