PCB announces 157 domestic contracts for 2025–26 season

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the men’s domestic cricket central contracts for the 2025–26 season, introducing a new structure aimed at strengthening the local game and rewarding consistent performers across regional and departmental teams.

A total of 157 players have been awarded domestic retainers for the upcoming season, which will run from August 2025 to July 2026. In a significant change, the PCB has expanded the number of contract categories from three to four and the number of players increased from 131 to 157 for this season. The breakdown of four categories is 30 (DC1), 55 (DC2), 51 (DC3) and 21 (DC4) players allowing for a more balanced distribution of players based on performance, potential, and experience.

According to the board, the decision to restructure the domestic contract system reflects its ongoing commitment to improving player welfare and ensuring competitive cricket at every level of Pakistan’s domestic structure. The revised categories are expected to provide clearer pathways for players aspiring to break into national contention.

The PCB stated that the updated contracts include revised retainers and match fees, ensuring that players are better compensated and motivated throughout the season.

This move follows a broader effort by the PCB to align domestic cricket rewards with performance standards, recognizing the pivotal role local players play in sustaining Pakistan’s cricketing ecosystem

Domestic Category 1 (30)

Abid Ali (Lahore), Aamir Jamal (Islamabad), Akif Javed (FATA), Azan Awais (Sialkot), Faisal Akram (Multan), Haseebullah (Quetta), Iftikhar Ahmed (Peshawar), Imam-ul-Haq (Lahore), Jahandad Khan (Rawalpindi), Kamran Ghulam (Abbottabad), Kashif Bhatti (Hyderabad), Khalid Usman (Abbottabad), Mir Hamza (Karachi), Mohammad Ali (Sialkot), Mohammad Hasnain (Hyderabad), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mohammad Ismail (Multan), Muhammad Irfan Khan (Faisalabad), Muhammad Shahzad (Multan), Mushtaq Ahmed (Larkana), Niaz Khan (Peshawar), Nisar Ahmed (Lahore), Omair Bin Yousuf (Karachi), Tayyab Tahir (Lahore), Umar Amin (Islamabad), Umar Siddiq (Lahore), Usman Khan (Karachi), Usman Tariq (Peshawar), Waqar Hussain (Multan) and Zahid Mehmood (Larkana)

Domestic Category 2 (55)

Abdul Faseeh (Rawalpindi), Abdul Samad (Faisalabad), Ahmed Bashir (Lahore), Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Faisalabad), Ali Raza (Sialkot), Ali Zaryab (Lahore), Arafat Minhas (Multan), Arif Yaqoob (Karachi), Arshadullah (FATA), Asif Afridi (FATA), Ayaz Tasawwar (Sialkot), Danish Aziz (Karachi), Haider Ali (Rawalpindi), Hassan Raza (Azad Jammu and Kashmir), Imran Butt (Lahore), Jalat Khan (Quetta), Kashif Ali (Rawalpindi), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (Karachi), Maaz Sadaqat (Peshawar), Mehran Mumtaz (Rawalpindi), Mehran Sanwal (Bahawalpur), Mirza Tahir Baig (Sialkot), Mohsin Riaz (Sialkot), Mohammad Amir Khan (Peshawar), Mohammad Arif (Abbottabad), Mohammad Faizan (Faisalabad), Mohammad Imran Jnr (Peshawar), Mohammad Naeem (FATA), Mohammad Rameez Jnr (Lahore), Mohammad Salman (Lahore), Mohammad Suleman (Hyderabad), Mubasir Khan (Rawalpindi), Muhammad Awais Zafar (Faisalabad), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (Karachi), Muhammad Imran (Faisalabad), Musa Khan (Islamabad), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Rameez Aziz (Karachi), Rohail Nazir (Islamabad), Saad Baig (Karachi), Saad Khan (Hyderabad), Saad Masood (Rawalpindi), Saifullah Bangash (Karachi), Sameen Gul (FATA), Shahid Aziz (FATA), Shahnawaz Dahani (Larkana), Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad), Sharoon Siraj (Multan), Sirajuddin (FATA), Ubaid Shah (Lahore), Usama Mir (Sialkot), Waqar Ahmed (Peshawar), Waseem Akram Jnr (Multan), Yasir Khan (Rawalpindi) and Zaman Khan (Azad Jammu & Kashmir)

Domestic Category 3 (51)

Aamer Yamin (Multan), Abbas Ali (Peshawar), Abdullah Fazal (Karachi), Abdur Rehman (Sialkot), Abdul Rehman Muzammil (Multan), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Afaq Afridi (FATA), Afaq Ahmed (Abbottabad), Adil Amin (Peshawar), Aftab Khan (Karachi), Ali Hamza Wasim (Bahawalpur), Ali Husnain (Rawalpindi), Ali Usman (Multan), Amad Butt (Sialkot), Arsal Sheikh (Islamabad), Asad Raza (Faisalabad), Asif Ali (Faisalabad), Bilawal Bhatti (Sialkot), Fawad Alam (Karachi), Hasnain Nadeem (Azad Jammu & Kashmir), Imran Dogar (Lahore), Israr Hussain (Abbottabad), Jahanzaib Sultan (Karachi), Jawad Ali (Hyderabad), Kamran Afzal (Lahore), Mohsin Khan (Peshawar), Mohammad Adil (Abbottabad), Mohammad Amir Barki (Peshawar), Mohammad Asghar (Karachi), Mohammad Azab (Bahawalpur), Mohammad Hamza (Karachi), Mohammad Huzaifa (Bahawalpur), Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (FATA), Mohammad Taha (Karachi), Mohammad Umar (Karachi), Mohammad Zeeshan (Faisalabad), Muhammad Akhlaq (Lahore), Naqeebullah (Quetta), Nabi Gul (Peshawar), Naseerullah Khan (Islamabad), Obaid Shahid (Lahore), Raja Hamza Waheed (Islamabad), Rizwan Mehmood (Hyderabad), Saad Nasim (Lahore), Salman Irshad (Azad Jammu & Kashmir), Saqib Khan (Karachi), Shahab Khan (Abbottabad), Shahzaib Khan (Abbottabad), Shehzad Gul (Faisalabad), Taimur Khan (Rawalpindi) and Tahir Hussain (Multan)

Domestic Category 4 (21)

Aashar Mehmood (Sialkot), Abu Huraira (Dera Murad Jamali), Aqib Khan (Abbottabad), Aqib Liaqat (Azad Jammu & Kashmir), Aqib Shah (Rawalpindi), Ali Shan (Faisalabad), Bismillah Khan (Quetta), Faizan Saleem (Azad Jammu & Kashmir), Gulfam Aziz (Bahawalpur), Imran Rafiq (Multan), Mansoor Ali (Abbottabad), Mohammad Ali Taj (Islamabad), Mohammad Ammar (Bahawalpur), Mohammad Faizan Jnr (Peshawar), Mohammad Irfan (Lahore), Muhammad Hammad Khan (Islamabad), Sajjad Ali Hashmi (Abbottabad), Sharjeel Khan (Hyderabad), Shoaib Akhtar Jnr (Sialkot), Taj Wali (Azad Jammu and Kashmir), Zain Abbas (Multan)