The Pakistan Cricket Board has introduced a format-based central contract system, replacing its traditional grading structure with five specialised pathways for Test, ODI, and T20 cricketers.
The framework, which the PCB describes as a world-first approach to player contracting, is designed to reward specialisation, protect Test cricket, and align contracts with the realities of the modern game.
The overhaul represents one of the most significant administrative changes in Pakistan cricket’s recent history and has sparked discussion among former cricketers, analysts and administrators about whether it can strengthen the national game or whether Pakistan’s deeper challenges lie elsewhere.
Announced this month, the PCB’s new framework abandons the long-standing A, B, C and D grading model in favour of five format-specific tracks, formally recognising the growing divide between Test specialists, white-ball players and T20 cricketers who appear on franchise leagues globally.
The board has presented the move as a world-first attempt to address a challenge confronting cricket administrators globally: how to preserve Test cricket in an era increasingly dominated by franchise leagues.
Whether Pakistan has pioneered a model that others will eventually follow, however, remains a subject of debate.
A New Cricketing Economy
Under the new structure, players will be contracted according to format commitments rather than overall status. Track AB is reserved for players considered vital in both Tests and ODIs, while Track A is dedicated exclusively to Test specialists. Tracks BC and C cater to white-ball and T20 specialists respectively, while Track D serves as a development pathway.
The PCB argues that the old system failed to adequately recognise specialists. A Test cricketer and a franchise-focused T20 player were effectively measured within the same hierarchy despite operating in fundamentally different cricketing environments.
The new framework attempts to correct that imbalance by judging players only against others within their designated track. It also offers varying levels of freedom regarding participation in overseas leagues. Test specialists will be permitted to play overseas first-class cricket but barred from foreign T20 leagues, while T20 specialists will face no cap on overseas franchise participation.
The board says the objective is to make Test cricket financially viable and professionally attractive while acknowledging the commercial realities of modern cricket.
Solving the Right Problem?
Not everyone is convinced that contracts were Pakistan cricket’s most pressing issue.
Former Pakistan chief selector Muhammad Waseem believes the effectiveness of the reform will ultimately depend on whether deeper structural problems are addressed.
“I wonder whether these new tracks can truly put Pakistan cricket back on track. The problems of recent years have largely stemmed from poor selection decisions, unsuitable home pitches, player mismanagement, and mistakes in coaching and captaincy. If those issues remain unaddressed, it is difficult to believe that a new contract structure alone will solve everything.”
Pakistan’s struggles in recent years have largely been reflected on the field. Since reaching the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup, the national side has endured disappointing campaigns across formats, including inability to qualify for the semi finals of the last 4 ICC tournaments and a series of inconsistent performances in the last 3 World Test Championships.
An Old Idea Finally Implemented
Cricket analyst Dr Numan Niaz notes that the concept itself is not entirely new.
“The idea of separating red-ball and white-ball contracts is not new; discussions began around three years ago. The model has several positives, but its success will depend on how the data-driven assessment process is implemented. More importantly, Pakistan cricket’s biggest problem in recent years has been poor performances on the field, not its contract system.”
The PCB’s new framework places significant emphasis on structured assessment. Players must pass a three-stage eligibility process involving fitness standards, domestic participation requirements and performance evaluations. 85 percent of a player’s annual assessment will be based on objective performance and fitness metrics, while selectors’ evaluations account for the remaining 15 percent.
That data-driven approach may increase transparency, but it also raises questions about methodology, interpretation and implementation.
Can Test Cricket Really Compete?
The centrepiece of the PCB’s proposal is its effort to protect Test cricket.
Test specialists in Track A will receive substantial retainers and opportunities to play overseas first-class cricket. Yet economic realities remain difficult to ignore.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif questions whether the financial incentives can truly offset the earning power of franchise leagues.
“Pakistan have played only 32 Tests since January 2021, compared to 69 ODIs and 129 T20Is. With such a schedule, Test and ODI specialists are unlikely to match the earnings of franchise players. If the aim is to make Test cricket lucrative, Pakistan will need to play significantly more Tests against strong oppositions.”
The numbers underline cricket’s shifting landscape. International schedules increasingly favour shorter formats, while franchise leagues continue to expand across the calendar.
Even a generous contract structure may struggle to match the opportunities available in tournaments such as the IPL, SA20, ILT20, Major League Cricket and The Hundred.
A Strategic Investment
Some experts see the PCB’s move as a necessary long-term investment rather than an immediate financial solution. Cricket statistician Mazhar Arshad argues that Pakistan is attempting to preserve a format whose future is increasingly uncertain outside the game’s traditional power centres.
“While the future of Test cricket outside Australia, England and India remains uncertain, Pakistan deserve credit for trying to make the format more rewarding.”
He believes the model could influence player behaviour by creating a clearer pathway toward financial stability and long-term international careers.
“Currently, T20 cricket is more lucrative in Pakistan, but in the new model, if a player knows he can make half a million USD by specialising in Tests and be in the category of players who are going to play in the 2027 Cricket World Cup, he is likely to prioritize the other formats too.”
A Test Case for World Cricket
The PCB has presented the new framework as an answer to a question confronting cricket administrators across the world: how to preserve the value of international cricket, particularly Test cricket, in an age increasingly shaped by franchise leagues.
Supporters see a system that rewards specialisation, provides greater clarity, and gives red-ball cricket a fighting chance in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Skeptics argue that contracts alone cannot fix problems that originate on the field, in selection meetings or in boardrooms. For now, the framework remains a bold idea on paper. Its true value will be measured not by presentations, policies or pay structures, but by what follows.
Pakistan has taken a step few others have attempted. Whether it proves to be a blueprint for cricket’s future or merely another administrative experiment will be determined where reforms are always tested — between the boundary ropes.
