Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, left-arm spinner Noman Ali earn PCB central contracts

• PCB adds 5 players to men’s central contracts list.
• Sarfaraz Ahmed has been elevated from Category D to Category B.
• Abrar Ahmed and Noman Ali have been rewarded with Category C contracts.

The total number of players offered contracts is now thirty, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) added five players to the men’s central contracts list on Friday.

Abrar Ahmed (Category C), Noman Ali (Category C), Tayyab Tahir (Category D), Aamir Jamal (Category D), and Arshad Iqbal (Category D) are among the latest inductions.

The three-year agreement, which was revealed last month, will take effect on July 1, 2023, and end on June 30, 2026.

“The previous 25-man list of players was finalised by the Najam Sethi-led management committee but the new management committee under its chairman Mr Zaka Ashraf has decided to review the list,” the PCB said in a press release.

“Sarfaraz Ahmed, former captain, was previously named in Category “D” but has been elevated to Category B. He is presently Pakistan’s first-choice wicket-keeper batter in the red-ball format. He made his comeback to the Test side in December last year and has amassed 367 runs across four matches at an average of 61.16. The 36-year-old was named player of the series for his three half-centuries and one century in four innings against New Zealand at home.

“Abrar and Noman, placed in Category C, have been regular Pakistan’s Test team members over the past year. Mystery spinner Abrar has picked up 38 wickets in six matches since making his debut against England in Multan while left-arm spinner Noman has taken 17 wickets in four games over the last 12 months.

“Aamir (4 T20Is), Arshad (3 T20Is) and Tayyab (3 T20Is) slotted in Category D continue to remain in the plans of the national men’s selection committee.”

Updated list of offered central contracts to national players

Category A: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shadab Khan

Category C: Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Imad Wasim and Noman Ali

Category D: Aamir Jamal, Arshad Iqbal, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.

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