Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to publicly disclose the details of its central contracts, including the number of players and their category-wise distribution.
According to PCB officials, the exact breakdown of how many players are placed in each category and track will now be kept confidential, as it is considered part of the selection process.
No Public Disclosure of Categories
The board stated that the central contract structure will not be made public this time. Officials maintained that player selection and category assignment fall under internal decision-making and will remain undisclosed.
This marks a shift in transparency policy, as central contracts in previous years were typically announced publicly with full category lists.
Domestic Cricket Participation Made Mandatory
Sources revealed that contracted players have also been given updated instructions regarding domestic cricket participation based on their assigned tracks.
Players will be required to participate in domestic competitions as follows (tentative structure):
- Around 5 first-class matches
- Up to 10 List A matches
Players not engaged in international duty will still be required to remain available for domestic cricket participation.
Focus on Fitness and Performance
The PCB has also emphasized that centrally contracted players must maintain match fitness and form through regular domestic appearances. This is part of a broader effort to strengthen performance standards and ensure player readiness across formats.
Multi-Format Eligibility
According to sources, centrally contracted players will remain eligible to play across all three formats of the game. Depending on team requirements, players from any track may be selected for national duty.
This flexible system allows selectors to include players based on performance and team needs rather than fixed category restrictions.
Conclusion
The PCB’s decision to keep central contract details confidential represents a significant change in policy. While players will continue to follow strict domestic participation requirements, the lack of public disclosure on categories and numbers introduces a more internalized approach to selection and contract management.
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