LAHORE: For years, Pakistan’s red-ball warriors watched from the sidelines as white-ball flash earned bigger contracts, better perks and faster promotions. A gritty Test batsman grinding through a five-day marathon often found himself financially outranked by a T20 dasher who had played half the number of matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally decided that anomaly ends now.
🚨 PCB INTRODUCES NEW CENTRAL CONTRACT STRUCTURE 🚨
Pakistan Cricket Board has revamped its central contracts structure, introducing a format-based player classification system.
Players will now be divided into four distinct categories:
-Test + ODI Regulars → Category A/B… pic.twitter.com/k2LmH0SDEH
— Talha Nawaz (@TalhaDigital007) June 15, 2026
In what the board is calling a “revolutionary” move, the PCB on Monday announced a complete overhaul of the central contracts system, scrapping the traditional four-category structure of A, B, C and D in favor of a format-based model. Players will now be divided into four distinct “tracks” based on the specific formats they play, ensuring that a Test specialist is compared only with other Test specialists, not with T20 globetrotters.
The new tracks are:
- Track A: Test specialists
- Track AB: Test and ODI players
- Track BC: ODI and T20 players
- Track D: T20I and franchise specialists
Each track will feature two internal tiers, allowing players to move up or down based solely on performance within their own format category.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi discusses significant reforms to the player central contract system.
Full press conference ➡️ https://t.co/XgGWPpp4Ai
More details ➡️ https://t.co/THMH5eFIvM#PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/StTLhvIv0N— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 15, 2026
The PCB statement emphasised that “each player will be compared only with players from their own track”, a departure from the previous system where a player excelling in short formats could leapfrog a more committed red-ball cricketer.
“The old central contracts system created two problems,” the PCB statement read. “First, a player performing well in short formats sometimes gained more benefits than a committed Test cricketer. Second, opportunities for advancement for Test cricket specialists were limited without standout performances in white-ball cricket. The new system eliminates both issues.”
In a landmark decision, Test specialists, placed in Track A, will now be allowed to participate in the world’s major first-class red-ball competitive leagues, including the County Championship.
This marks a significant shift, as Pakistan internationals such as Hasan Ali, Mohammad Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Abbas have already been granted No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to feature in the ongoing County season.
However, there is a clear trade-off. Test specialists will not be permitted to participate in franchise T20 leagues going forward, a move designed to protect the integrity and focus of red-ball cricket. The PCB has drawn a sharp line between those who commit to the longest format and those who chase the shortest.
PCB held a special workshop on merit-based reforms in Central Contracts system.
Chairman Mohsin Naqvi attended the session, while Aaqib Javed and Mike Hesson briefed players on new contract structure, category system, domestic cricket pathways, and performance criteria.
#PCB pic.twitter.com/XBN4vU90qF— Shakeel Khan Khattak (@ShakeelktkKhan) June 15, 2026
Another critical condition has been attached: to obtain a central contract, it will be mandatory for players to actively participate in domestic cricket. The board has made it clear that skipping domestic competitions will no longer be an option for those seeking national contracts.
Fitness levels will also receive special consideration. A comprehensive medical and fitness assessment will be conducted for every player, with the PCB stating that the purpose is “to protect players’ long-term health and careers.”
The reforms have been widely welcomed by former cricketers, who have long argued that Pakistan’s Test cricket suffered because the system incentivized white-ball heroics over red-ball resilience. By isolating format specialists into their own competitive pools, the PCB hopes to encourage players to specialize without fear of being financially disadvantaged.
Players attend a special workshop hosted by the PCB on merit-based reforms to central contracts 🎥
Chairman Mohsin Naqvi attended the session, where Aqib Javed presented updates on structural reforms, while Mike Hesson outlined new contract categories and performance standards.… pic.twitter.com/qOYjx8AECY
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 15, 2026
Whether the new system succeeds will depend on implementation and buy-in from players accustomed to the old hierarchy. But for now, Pakistan’s Test cricketers can finally say: the marathon runner is no longer judged by the sprinter’s stopwatch.
