Pakistan players in limbo as Pakistan Cricket Board postpones new central contracts

More than two months after the contracts of the central players expired on July 31, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to announce the new list of contracted cricketers or clarify whether it will be made public.

While a senior PCB official had earlier said that the board was not required to release the names, a subsequent clarification from another official insisted that the list would eventually be released.

However, the continued silence has fueled speculation, with inside sources admitting uncertainty as to whether the contracts have even been finalized or distributed.

The 12-month contracts have attracted a lot of interest due to the policy change. Instead of the traditional broad categories, players are said to be offered format-specific deals – such as Test-only or T20-only contracts – rather than multi-format backups.

Traditionally, the PCB releases the full list and category breakdown to the media immediately. However, the current delay points to potential friction.

A reliable source suggested that the hold-up stems from the player’s refusal to be limited to the format, as “no player wants to be limited to one format”.

This is not the first time that negotiations have stalled. In 2023, the announcement of central contracts was similarly delayed due to protracted discussions between senior players and former chairman Zak Ashraf over financial packages and terms ahead of the World Cup in India. Even then, the final list was finally published.

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