Rizwan, Imam to lose Pakistan central contracts as Hesson backs youngsters

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has recommended a group of young players to be considered for major PCB contracts for the 2026-27 season.

According to well-informed council sources, Arafat Minhas, Saad Baig, Hasan Nawaz, Akif Javed, Ali Reza, Ahsan Daniyal, Sufiyan

Muqeem, Maaz Sadaqat, Razaullah, Azan Avais, Imran Randhawa, Abdullah Fazal and Ghazi Ghori will be included in the new central contracts.

In addition to these young players, the board has yet to decide whether to keep experienced players under contract.

“Expect a few experienced seniors to come off the central contract list this year,” the source said.

He said senior players Muhammad Rizwan and Imam ul Haq will not get major contracts.

The official said Hesson’s emphasis on fitness, ability to implement coaches’ plans, keenness to improve skill level and dressing room attitude to build solid squads across Test, ODI and T20I formats.

“Hesson is keen that youngsters who have shown potential and ability to bring value to the dressing room and the squad must be rewarded and encouraged with good central contracts,” the source added.

Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sahabzada Farhan, who lead Pakistan in three formats, along with Salman Ali Agha, Saud

Shakeel, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are also expected to remain under contract.

However, some of them could be limited to red or white ball formats.

The PCB delayed the announcement of the new central contracts as the old contracts expired on July 31.

However, the source said the delay was to assess the performance of the players in the ongoing international and domestic events before deciding which players deserve to receive contracts.

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