PCB Central Contracts Due Within 48 Hours, Says Naqvi
PCB central contracts for the 2026-27 season will be announced within the next 24 to 48 hours, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday.
Naqvi spoke to reporters in Lahore during a visit to the National Cricket Academy, where he reviewed the upgrade work under way at the facility. He said the contracts were close to being finalised and the announcement would follow within a day or two.
The previous deals expired in the summer, and the announcement is already months behind schedule. Players have waited through the start of the home season without new terms, and the delay has been a running question at every Naqvi media appearance in recent weeks.
PCB central contracts move to five tracks
The board approved a new contract structure in June, replacing the old A, B, C and D categories with five tracks based on the formats each player represents.
Under the revised system, Track AB covers players who compete in both Test and one-day cricket, while Track A is reserved for Test specialists. Track BC includes one-day and T20 players, Track C focuses on T20 specialists, and Track D is designed for emerging cricketers.
Proposed monthly salaries reported for the new tracks put Track AB players at Rs4.8 million to Rs5 million, with Test specialists in Track A earning up to Rs4 million. Track BC players would receive around Rs1.8 million a month, Track C players between Rs1.2 million and Rs1.5 million, and development players in Track D up to Rs1 million. These figures were reported as proposals and have not been officially confirmed by the board.
The revised system also ties contracts to fitness standards, participation in domestic cricket and sustained performance. The board has said before that playing domestic cricket will be mandatory for players seeking a central contract, and Naqvi repeated that position in Lahore.
No changes to team management
Naqvi also used the briefing to back the national team management, saying he supported its decisions and believed the measures under way were aimed at improving performance.
He said he was satisfied with the progress of the side over the past year, noting that both performances and results had improved. He ruled out any immediate changes to the team and said the public would be told if any decision was made.
The chairman said the board would keep working on the side’s weaknesses and help players improve.
Naqvi also confirmed that the upgrade of the National Cricket Academy was in progress, with January 31 set as the completion deadline. The academy project, including new facilities and a master plan prepared by Aaqib Javed, is meant to give the board a modern base for training and development.
Rizwan inquiry nears its end
On the inquiry involving Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, Naqvi said the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency would contact Rizwan again for clarification before it completed its report.
The agency is examining alleged leaks of confidential team information. Both players have been cleared to play domestic cricket while the inquiry continues, and Naqvi said the report would be finalised quickly once the agency had the answers it needed.
The board chief had already signalled the same timeline on Thursday, when he said the agency would contact Rizwan soon and the contracts would be finalised within a day or two.
The contracts announcement will matter most for the players on the fringes. Debutant Saqib Khan took seven wickets in the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka, a performance that strengthens any case for a deal, while Pakistan’s young cricketers continue to press for places through the age-group ranks. The board has also been investing off the field, and the wider game faces its own structural questions at the ICC.
For now, the wait is nearly over. If Naqvi’s timeline holds, the list will be public before the weekend is out, and the five-track structure will finally replace a system that has been in place for years.
Frequently asked questions
When will the PCB announce central contracts?
Mohsin Naqvi said the contracts for the 2026-27 season are expected within the next 24 to 48 hours.
What is the new five-track contract structure?
Track AB covers Test and one-day players, Track A is for Test specialists, Track BC covers one-day and T20 players, Track C is for T20 specialists and Track D is for emerging cricketers.
How much will players earn under the new contracts?
Reported proposals put Track AB at Rs4.8 million to Rs5 million a month and Track A at up to Rs4 million, but the figures have not been officially confirmed.
What conditions must players meet for a contract?
Players must meet fitness standards, take part in domestic cricket and maintain strong performances.
