Pakistan team players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and others are reportedly on a warpath with the Pakistan Cricket Board, amidst reports of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reworking their central contracts after a poor showing in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pakistan was eliminated from the tournament’s group stage after losing to the United States and India. Pakistan was grouped with the United States, India, Canada, and Ireland in Group A.
Heavy losses to India and the United States harmed their NRR, while victories against Canada and Ireland were insufficient to improve it, therefore they were eliminated from the group stage.
The Pak national cricket team was heavily criticized for their early exit. Babar Azam was targeted for his leadership and the way he batted during the competition. Head Coach Gary Kirsten also remarked about the atmosphere in the dressing room following Pakistan’s withdrawal, which did not bode well for the team.
Pakistan players may refuse central contracts if reworked and they get demoted
Now as per reports of Pakistan Today, Pak team players are likely to refuse central contracts if they are demoted. There are concerns that the refusal of contracts could lead to players opting to play freely without the restrictions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is awaiting head coach Gary Kirsten’s report and will make choices in light of it. Furthermore, senior manager Wahab Riaz will deliver a report, which will be examined before final decisions.
One of the primary decisions is whether to drop specific players from the upcoming series and make changes to the central contracts.
According to reports, Pak’s white-ball captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan are set to be downgraded from Category A in their central contracts.
According to sources close to the matter, negotiations for a new central contract for national players are now underway. A new and smaller selection committee will be established to finalize the central contracts. However, the salaries of the national cricketers will remain unchanged.
Pak has secured straight qualification for the next T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka. This was owing to their current position in the ICC T20I standings. Despite failing to advance to the tournament’s Super 8, New Zealand placed sixth and Pak placed seventh, respectively, and gained direct qualification.
Also Read: India To Face England In T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-Final; Here’s How It Can Happen
