Sarfaraz Ahmed set to be demoted in central contracts list
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to demote former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed in the central contracts list. According to reports, Pakistan's Champions Trophy-winning captain will be relegated from Category A to C. The central contracts will be given to players in August this year. Meanwhile, the cricket board has also decided against reducing the central contract recipients. Here is more.
Pakistan fared poorly after 2017 Champions Trophy
Under Sarfaraz, the Pakistan cricket team got off track following the high of 2017 Champions Trophy. Pakistan won five games in the 2019 World Cup, eventually crashing out of the tournament. Overall, they won 38 out of 75 internationals and lost 34 during the period. In October 2019, Sarfaraz was removed as captain of Pakistan's Test and T20I teams.
Sarfaraz Ahmed a part of Category A in 2019
Last year, PCB reduced the number of centrally contracted players from 33 to 19. Veteran all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez were snubbed from the list. Sarfaraz Ahmed was kept in Category A alongside Babar Azam and Yasir Shah. Top order batsman Azhar Ali was demoted from A to B, while Mohammad Amir and Fakhar Zaman were relegated to C.
Captaincy took a toll on Sarfaraz's batting
Safaraz Ahmed's own form also dipped during the period. After Champions Trophy, the right-handed batsman could muster only 1,679 runs in 83 internationals at 27.08. His last international century was registered in the 2016 Lord's ODI against England.
PCB may increase the Test match fee
The upcoming list will be finalized by a committee that includes PCB CEO, Wasim Khan, Director International Cricket Operations, Zakir Khan and the head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq. As per sources, PCB is planning to raise the Test match fee of players despite the financial crunch. Furthermore, Abid Ali is likely to be promoted alongside fellow batsman Shan Masood.
Central contracts list of 2019-20
Here is the bifurcation of incumbent list: Category A - Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah. Category B - Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz. Category C - Abid Ali, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Usman Shinwari.
