PCB Delays New Central Contracts Until After Home ODI Tri‑Series

The pause lets coach Mike Hesson and selectors use tri‑series and domestic form to decide format allocations and overseas‑league permissions that will affect player earnings and availability.

Overview

On Friday, Pakistan’s board said it will hold off awarding central contracts until after the ODI tri‑series with England and Sri Lanka, scheduled for Oct. 18–31, so Hesson and selectors can assess players in live international matches.
The proposed system replaces seniority-based deals with format‑specific contracts for Test, T20 and white‑ball roles and will be backdated to cover the period since the previous contracts expired on July 31.
Players are lobbying for Category C status to keep freedom to join overseas leagues without PCB no‑objection certificates, while the board plans stricter NOC limits for Test specialists, a key point of contention in talks.
A preliminary 30‑player shortlist and a 15‑point algorithmic assessment created by an American firm informed early plans, but Pakistan’s poor tour of England has prompted selectors to revisit that list.
The PCB has budgeted about Rs1.1 billion for retainers and match fees and proposed specific monthly retainers and per‑match payments, and officials say the announcement could slip further to after Pakistan’s November Tests.