PCB Revealed List of Women’s Central Contracts

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Anosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, and Shawaal Zulfiqar are three of the four players who have never received central contracts. Fourth player to sign her first central contract is Umm-e-Hani, who made her debut last season against Ireland.

Similar to last year, 20 players have received central contracts, which are broken down into four groups: A, B, C, and D, which is an emerging group.

Last week, the 20 players were presented with central contracts that would last for 23 months, from 1 August 2023 to 30 June 2025. After a year, players’ performances will be evaluated. During the series camp for South Africa in Karachi, 19 players signed the contracts. Eyman Fatima signed the contract in Lahore even though he isn’t playing in the white-ball series against South Africa.

In the A category, which sees a 19 percent increase in their retainers, Captain Nida Dar and seasoned Bismah Maroof have been retained. Sidra Amin, who is currently ranked second among all scorers in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022–25 with 535 runs from nine matches, moved up from the C category to the A category.

Four players are in the B category, which sees a 32 percent increase in player retainers. Muneeba Ali was moved up to the B category after recording a century at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup this year. Both left-arm spinner Nashra Sundhu and fast bowler Fatima Sana have been kept in the B category after leading Pakistan’s emerging women’s team in this year’s ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023. Aliya Riaz has been downgraded from category A to B.

Sidra Nawaz, a wicketkeeper-batsman in the C category, has kept her job while spinners Ghulam Fatima and Sadia Iqbal have moved up from the D to C category. Diana Baig was downgraded from the B category to C after missing the majority of the previous year due to shoulder and later finger injuries. Omaima Sohail was in category B last year’s central contracts list; this year, she is in category C. The percentage increase in retainers for the C category is 19%.

There are eight players in the D category, also referred to as the emerging category. Leg-spinner Tuba Hassan and right-handed batter Sadaf Shamas have kept their positions in the category, resulting in a 21% increase in retainers for both of them. Anosha Nasir, a left-arm spinner, and Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar, right-handed batters who played for Pakistan U19 in the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup this year, have all received their first contracts.

D category also includes off-spinner Umm-e-Hani and wicketkeeper-batsman Najiha Alvi, who both played for Pakistan’s emerging team in the ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Syeda Aroob Shah returns to the central contract after missing out the previous year. She led Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

The five players who failed to keep their central contracts for this year are Anam Amin, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, and Kainat Imtiaz. All five players have received the first-ever domestic contracts with an 11-month term. The sixth player to be excluded from the contract is Ayesha Naseem, who retired from international cricket.

The match fee for all participants in an ODI match, both those who play and those who do not, has increased by 100%. Additionally, match fees for both players and spectators in a T20I match have increased by 50%.

“The extended contract duration reflects our anticipation of an action-packed international cricket calendar,” according to Tania Mallick, Head of Women’s Cricket. “We want our female cricket players to be fully equipped, both physically and mentally, to meet any challenges they may encounter and to enjoy any victories that may occur.”

“Our dedication to fostering an environment where players can concentrate solely on their game is reflected in the significant increase in the financial component of our women’s central contracts. This also recognizes the increasing caliber and impact of women’s cricket on the world stage. This year, four outstanding players have secured central contracts. This not only demonstrates the breadth of our women’s cricket players’ talent, but it also fosters healthy competition and a spirit of excellence among the group.”

“The selection committee is pleased to announce the players who have been awarded contracts, considering the extensive cricketing schedule that lies ahead,” said Saleem Jaffar, chair of the women’s selection committee. “These new contracts are intended to instill confidence in these players as they train for the upcoming cricket season because we believe in the development of emerging talent.”

“Our main goal in awarding contracts for the next 23 months has been to honor the players’ consistent effort and performance over the course of the cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship, which started in 2022. The evaluation process began with the matches against Sri Lanka, and we have carefully evaluated each player’s contribution over the course of this cycle,” he continued.

Contracts with Women’s Central (1 August 2023–30 June 2025):