This week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made public its most recent list of centrally contracted players for the 2024-25 season. This list notably includes some omissions however, which have generated a lot of chatter in the circles of the game. Unsurprisingly, the most shocking exclusion has to be of veteran batter Fakhar Zaman, who held a Category B contract previously. This decision was explained by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi during a press conference where he stated that the reason why Zaman was dropped was because of fitness issues.
Naqvi also shed light on the fact that there was a very recent incident involving Zaman on social media that played a part in the board’s making of that decision.
This came after a Voice clip on Zaman’s Instagram, where the player didn’t mince his words in condemning the PCB who earlier dropped captain Babar Azam from the side after the English series had already started and turned to a storm.
“The tweet was an issue, but the bigger matter is his fitness. There is a show cause notice against him and we will see about that. He has to bring his fitness up to the mark. His standpoint was welcomed while he was in the Connection Camp for which I thank him, however, one cannot take on social media the selection committee’s verdicts. The bigger problem however is his fitness,” Naqvi said while addressing the media.
The last time that Zaman put on the uniform for Pakistan was during the T20 World Cup 2024, which was disastrous with the national team incapable of overcoming the USA and Indian teams in the group stage. Given his absence from the central contract list, together with the recent fitness boost and more warnings, it appears Zaman is going through a very tough period in his career. A clear emphasis on discipline and fitness from PCB implies that most probably players will be required to perform at a higher level this season.
The recently unveiled contracts for the season 2024-25 include quite a few new faces in Pakistan cricket, several of whom have been awarded central contracts for the very first time. These contracts also dovetail with the PCB’s objectives of encouraging new blood, without the complete exclusion of old experienced players at the top level.
Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan
Category B: Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood
Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan
Category D: Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Usman Khan
