Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a new central contract system for male players for the period of June 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. This overhaul forces players to meet a minimum number of international appearances to qualify for senior contract tracks.
Only players who have played four Tests, six ODIs, or six T20Is in the preceding 12 months will be eligible for the PCB’s overhauled central contract structure, which will start from July 1 https://t.co/FkRSX3BdSi
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 18, 2026
Under the new rules, only those who have played a minimum of four Tests, six ODIs or six T20Is in the last 12 months will be eligible for the top categories. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced these changes in Lahore to improve the standards of the national team and to ensure transparency in the selection of players.
New Eligibility Rules for Pakistan Cricketers
The PCB has agreed that the new appearance criteria will mean only active international players will be given central contracts. This rule applies to the four main senior tracks: AB, A, BC and C. But the board does not impose these strict appearance numbers on Track D, which remains reserved for emerging cricketers.
Players will need to follow a three-step model to secure a spot. First, they must pass a medical and fitness screening every four months. Second, they must maintain a specific level of participation in domestic cricket.
Third, they must achieve a minimum performance score. Meanwhile, the selection panel’s personal assessment now only accounts for 15 per cent of the final decision. The remaining 85 per cent of a player’s score comes from hard data regarding their international performance, domestic matches, and fitness levels.
The Five-Track Format-Specific Structure
The PCB abandoned the one system for all approach. Instead, it has introduced a format-specific structure that mirrors the different demands of Test, ODI and T20 cricket. This model generates 5 different tracks depending on the formats a player represents:
- Track AB: This track is for elite players who play regularly in Test matches and ODIs.
- Track A: This category is based on Test cricket specialists to protect and promote the longest version of the game.
- Track BC: This track is for the cricketers who are specialists in white-ball formats, i.e. ODI and T20I.
- Track C: For T20 and franchise cricket specialists.
- Track D: This track is for emerging players coming through the High Performance set-up.
There are four senior tracks ( AB, A, BC and C ), and each has two tiers. These levels define the player’s salary per month. Additionally, the criteria for domestic cricket and regulations for playing in overseas leagues are the same for players on either track of a particular tier.
Salary Grades and Match Fees Under the New System
The new structure changes how much players earn each month and per match. A player in the top tier of Track AB earns a monthly retainer of PKR 4.8 million.
In contrast, a player in Track D receives PKR 1 million per month. The PCB also sets specific match fees for players when they are selected to play in formats outside their primary track.
Mandatory Domestic Cricket Participation
A major part of the new policy is the requirement for national stars to play in domestic tournaments. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated that players who fail to appear in first-class events could lose their eligibility for central contracts. This comes after a series of disappointing displays from Pakistan in the World Test Championship and early exits from a number of ICC tournaments.
Specifically, Track AB players are expected to play at least four first-class and four List A games annually. Track A specialists have even stricter criteria to meet as they have to play in at least six first-class matches over a 12-month period. At the same time, white-ball and T20 specialists must retain their full availability for their domestic formats. These requirements also include matches played in overseas T20 leagues and foreign first-class competitions.
No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and Overseas League Rules
The PCB has also updated the rules for players wanting to participate in foreign T20 leagues. Under the new system, players in Track C (T20 specialists) have no cap on the number of overseas leagues they can join.
However, other tracks face stricter limits. AB Track players are allowed to play in one overseas T20 league a year, while BC Track players can play in two. Track A test specialists are generally not allowed to play in any white-ball leagues other than the Pakistan Super League (PSL). However, they can be permitted to play in the red-ball competitions of major cricketing countries to improve their skills. All players contracted centrally must be fully available to the PSL.
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