PCB keeps central contracts list under wraps amid new format-based system

The Pakistan Cricket Board still hasn't settled whether it'll announce the list of players getting central contracts under its new payment and categorisation system. Usually the board releases the names by the first week of August, with contracts covering June to July each fiscal year.

A source told PTI the board sees no need to make the names public, calling it an internal matter. Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said he hadn't heard about the decision when asked in Multan on Monday.

The PCB confirmed earlier that format-based contracts would begin for 2026-27. Male players will qualify if they've played at least four Tests, six ODIs, or six T20Is in the previous 12 months. The uncertainty arrives while the board faces separate questions over its financial disclosures.