PCB releases Women's Cricket Team Central Contract; Sidra Amin big gainer; Javeria Khan-Kainat Imtiaz snubbed

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Karachi, 29: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (August 29) announced the central contracts for the senior national women's cricket team. The new contracts see a maximum of a 32 per cent increase in retainers; a 100 per cent increase in match fees in the ODI format and a 50 per cent increase in the T20I format.

The uncapped trio of Anoosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar are among the four players who have been handed their maiden central contracts. Umm-e-Hani, who made her debut last year against Ireland, is the fourth player to earn her maiden central contract.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Contract Categories

Similar to the previous year, the PCB has awarded central contracts to 20 players, which are divided into four categories A, B C and D being an emerging category. These 20 players were offered central contracts last week for a duration of 23 months, commencing from 1 August 2023 to 30 June 2025.

As per a PCB release, the performances of players will be assessed after a year and 19 players have signed the contracts in Karachi during the series camp for the limited-overs series against South Africa. Eyman Fatima, who is not part of the white-ball series against South Africa, signed the contract in Lahore.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Contract: Players in A Category

Three players have been kept in Category A and explosive batter Sidra Amin has been promoted to the top category from C. Pakistan skipper Nida Dar and experienced Bismah Maroof have been retained in the A category. They have seen a 19 per cent hike in their retainers.

Sidra Amin, who is currently second in the list of top run-getters of ICC Women's Championship 2022-25 with 535 runs from nine matches, has been promoted to A category from C.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Contract: Players in B Category

The B category, which sees an increase of 32 per cent in players' retainers, has four players in it. Muneeba Ali, who scored a century in this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, has been promoted from C to B category.

Pacer Fatima Sana, who also captained Pakistan's emerging women's team in this year's ACC Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023 has been retained in the B category along with left-arm spinner Nashra Sundhu. While Aliya Riaz has been demoted to B category from A.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Contract Category C Players

In the C category, wicketkeeper-batter Sidra Nawaz has retained her position, while spinners Ghulam Fatima and Sadia Iqbal have been promoted to the C category from D. The C category - which comprises five players - has 19 per cent increase in players retainers.

Meanwhile, senior cricketer Diana Baig, who missed out on most of the last year due to a shoulder injury and later a finger injury, has been demoted to category C from B. Similarly, Omaima Sohail has also been shifted to the C category, as compared to B category where she was in last year's central contracts list.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Contract 2023: Category D Players

The D category, also known as the emerging category, features a total of eight players. Leg-spinner Tuba Hassan and right-handed batter Sadaf Shamas have retained their spots in the category which will see them register a 21 per cent increase in their retainers.

Left-arm spinner Anoosha Nasir, right-handed batters Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar, all of whom represented Pakistan U19 in the inaugural ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup this year, have earned their maiden contracts.

Wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi and off-spinner Umm-e-Hani, both of whom represented Pakistan's emerging team in the ACC Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup, are also part of the D category. Syeda Aroob Shah, who captained Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup, makes a comeback in the central contract after missing out last year.

Pakistan Cricket Contract: Players Who Missed

The five players who failed to retain this year's central contract are Anam Amin, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan and Kainat Imtiaz. All five players have been awarded the first-ever 11-month domestic contracts. Meanwhile, Ayesha Naseem, who retired from international cricket, is the sixth player to be left out of the contract.

Increase in match fee for Pakistan Women Cricketers

Meanwhile, there is a 100 per cent increase in the match fee of players involved in an ODI match (playing and non-playing both). Also, there is a 50 per cent increase in match fees for players in a T20I match both for playing and non-playing members.

Pakistan Women's Central Contracts 2023-2025 Full List

• Category A: Bismah Maroof, Nida Dar and Sidra Amin
• Category B: Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Nashra Sundhu
• Category C: Diana Baig, Ghulam Fatima, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Sidra Nawaz
• Category D: Anoosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, Najiha Alvi, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani.