Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman loses his central contract for 2024-25 after criticising PCB’s decision to rest Babar Azam. Other prominent players also missed contracts.
Fakhar Zaman Loses Central Contract After Criticising PCB Over Babar Azam’s Resting Decision
New Delhi, October 27, 2024 – Star Pakistani batsman Fakhar Zaman has been left out of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) central contracts list for the 2024-25 season.
Zaman’s omission comes after he openly criticised the PCB’s decision to rest captain Babar Azam during Pakistan’s England Test series.
The incident, which Zaman publicly addressed on his social media platform X, resulted in the PCB issuing him a show-cause notice. .
This marks the first time in eight years that Zaman has lost his central contract, dropping from his former Category B status.
PCB’s 2024-25 central contracts also saw other big names like Iftikhar Ahmed, Hassan Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Imam-ul-Haq missing from the roster.
Meanwhile, Shan Masood earned a promotion to Category B after leading Pakistan to a historic 2-1 Test series victory against England, while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was demoted from Category A to B.
The new list highlights PCB’s focus on nurturing young talent, with several fresh faces added in Category D.
Fakhar Zaman’s Controversial Exit
Zaman’s public criticism of Babar Azam’s mid-series resting during the England Tests was not well received by PCB officials, leading to his eventual exclusion from the central contracts.
As part of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad, Zaman struggled along with the team, which faced early elimination after losses to USA and India.
His outspoken stance, combined with recent performance issues, likely influenced PCB’s decision.
Other Key Players Missing from 2024-25 List
- 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.
This list reflects the Pakistan Cricket Board’s contracts for players for the 2024-25 season, with top performers like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in Category A, and emerging talents included in Category D.
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