Pakistan’s new central contracts for the 2026-27 season remain delayed following the team’s poor performance on the England tour, with changes now expected in the initial list of contracted players.
According to sources, Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood could be dropped from the new central contracts. A list of 30 players had initially been prepared before the team departed for the West Indies and England, but the matter was put on hold after Pakistan suffered a disappointing tour of England.
The new contracts are scheduled to remain effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The initial assessment was reportedly based on an algorithm that considered players’ past international and domestic performances, current form and future prospects across all formats.
Under the proposed system, players must achieve the required performance marks to qualify for contracts. The PCB is also expected to regulate No-Objection Certificates for overseas leagues, particularly for Test specialists, while players in lower categories may have greater flexibility to participate in foreign T20 leagues.
Several cricketers are reportedly interested in T20-specialist contracts because they would allow greater opportunities to play overseas leagues while remaining available for Pakistan whenever required.
The proposed contract structure includes different monthly retainers and match fees based on player categories. The highest monthly retainer is reportedly Rs4.8 million, while the PCB has allocated Rs1.1 billion in its budget for players’ salaries and match fees.
The final list of centrally contracted players is expected to be determined after further assessment of performances during the ongoing home season.