The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially unveiled a new framework for awarding central contracts to players from the next fiscal year, which begins on July 01, 2026.
However, there will be no changes in the national selection committee or the coaching staff. The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, confirmed at a press conference at a local hotel, made the announcements.
He was accompanied by the High Performance Centre Director Aaqib Javed, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson, PCB chief Medical Officer Dr Javed Mughal and other officials.
The PCB chairman has also met all the Pakistan players across all formats at training camps in Lahore and explained to them the new central contract system.
He also hinted during a media conference that several changes could be made within the PCB set-up. However, this announcement is solely based on the reformation of the new central contract system.
According to the new structure, players will be placed in five categories instead of the previous four. The categories are Track AB, Track A, Track BC, Track C and Track D.
However, the PCB said that Track AB is a dual-format category covering Test and One-day International (ODI) cricket.
Pakistan’s premier multi-format cricketers — the players who carry both the Test and ODI sides. This is the board’s highest commitment tier. The board does not regard an AB cricketer as a short-format player. That call is only made when selection options require it, never as a default,” the PCB stated.
Track A is reserved for red-ball specialists. “The dedicated Test cricketers. This track exists to recognise and protect players who devote themselves to the longest format, and it carries permissions designed to keep them playing red-ball cricket at the highest level,” the PCB explained.
Track BC is designated for white-ball specialists who play ODI and T20 International cricket.
“The core white-ball track for players whose value to Pakistan lies across the limited-overs formats. This is where most white-ball cricketers will sit, and it absorbs what used to be a separate ODI category,” the PCB said.
Track C has been created for T20 franchise specialists. “The dedicated short-format players, with the greatest freedom to pursue franchise cricket around their national commitments — a formal and respected recognition of T20 specialisation.”
Meanwhile, Track D will serve as a development category. “A development track for the next generation, investing in young players through the National Cricket Academy and the wider high-performance system,” said the PCB statement.
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