The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made significant changes to the Central Contracts for players.

They have decided to eliminate the red and white ball categories, replacing them with four new categories labeled A, B, C, and D. Additionally, the number of players on the central contract has been reduced from 33 to 25 or 26.

The new contracts come with exciting news for the players, as they are expected to receive a historic 50% increase in their match fees. This means they will be earning significantly more compared to the previous contracts.

In Category A, top players such as Captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi have secured the highest retainers, earning Rs4.5 million per month, which is nearly four times higher than what was offered last year.

In Category B, players can expect to earn around Rs3 million, while those in Category C and D will earn between Rs0.75 million to Rs1.5 million.

The players’ contracts were originally set to expire on June 30, but due to uncertainty regarding the PCB chairmanship, they were extended for an additional month.

Once the new selection committee is announced and Zaka Ashraf, the PCB management committee chairman, gives approval, the PCB will distribute central contracts to the players.

Previously, Misbah-ul-Haq, a former Test cricketer, was appointed to lead the Cricket Technical Committee, a high-profile group that also includes former Test cricketers Inzamam-ul-Haq (likely to become the head of the new selection committee) and Mohammad Hafeez.

The cricket trio will be responsible for making recommendations on various cricket-related matters, such as the domestic structure, scheduling, playing conditions, appointing national selection committees, hiring national team coaches, and handling central and domestic contracts. They will also be involved in plans for the development of umpires, referees, and curators.

Additionally, they have the authority to invite other cricket experts as needed and will regularly report to the head of the PCB Management Committee.