The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its central contracts for the 2025–26 season, which has ignited a significant discussion within the cricket community. A notable shift is the absence of any Category A contracts for Pakistani cricketers, a tier traditionally reserved for the country’s leading players.
Key players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who have been crucial to Pakistan’s batting lineup, have been placed in Category B. The PCB attributed this change to “inconsistent performances,” indicating a stronger emphasis on performance. The contracts, which will be in effect from July 2025 to June 2026, encompass 30 players across Categories B, C, and D. The pay structure is as follows: Category B: PKR 3 million monthly (about 8.7 lakh), Category C: PKR 1.5 million monthly (about 4.3 lakh), and Category D: PKR 0.75 million monthly (about 2.1 lakh). Furthermore, the PCB has revised match fees: PKR 1.25 million for a Test, PKR 6.44 lakh for an ODI, and PKR 4.18 lakh for a T20I.
In contrast, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) maintains a system that generously rewards its top performers. India’s 2024-25 annual contracts, valid from October 2024 to September 2025, feature four categories: A+, A, B, and C. The A+ category (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja) earns Rs 7 crore annually, Category A (KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant) earns Rs 5 crore annually, Category B (Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer) earns Rs 3 crore annually, and Category C (Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson) earns Rs 1 crore annually. This difference underscores the BCCI’s financial strength and its strategy of rewarding star players while encouraging new talent.
The PCB’s decision to reshape its contract structure signals a focus on performance. While it may incentivize players, it also carries the risk of disrupting team cohesion. With significant tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup on the horizon, the cricketing world will be watching to see whether this approach results in improved consistency or creates internal team challenges.