Following his placement in category B, Pakistan batsman and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan declined to sign the new central contracts offered to national players. Out of the 30 players that received the new contracts, Rizwan is the only one who hasn’t signed it, according to a trustworthy source.
The coveted category A, which was formerly reserved for Babar Azam, Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, has been eliminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the new contract offerings. The removal of the category gave the players a clear indication that the board was dissatisfied with their performance during the previous 12 months.
This time, the board brought together ten players in Category B, including the three seniors. However, Rizwan recently informed the board that he would only sign the document provided the board addressed some of his complaints.
According to the source, Rizwan’s requests were made following his dismissal as the ODI captain.
Rizwan has reportedly requested that the board grant him and other seniors category A, just as they did in the past. He has also made it clear that the board must grant him a specific period and time to carry out his objectives before designating anyone as captain.
Rizwan hasn’t been selected in the T20 format since December 2024, and many were taken aback when Shaheen was designated his replacement as ODI captain.
