Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has not signed his central contract for the 2025–26 season after reportedly making specific demands to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which remain unaccepted so far. The former white-ball captain was among 30 national players offered contracts by the board but is the only one yet to finalize his agreement, sources confirmed on Wednesday.
Rizwan, who was recently replaced as ODI captain by Shaheen Afridi, has been placed in the B category, alongside Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and others. Notably, the PCB did not include any player in the A category this year, with all players grouped under B, C, and D tiers for the upcoming season running from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
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Sources familiar with the development revealed that Rizwan’s hesitation stems from certain contractual demands he made to the PCB, which the board has not agreed to. They further stated that there is little indication the PCB will approve these requests in the near future. All other contracted players, meanwhile, have already signed their respective agreements without delay.
The timing of the standoff is crucial, as Pakistan is set to face South Africa in a three-match ODI series starting November 3. Rizwan, who is part of the 16-member squad, remains an important player despite the ongoing dispute. He was also part of Pakistan’s recent Test series, where he scored 126 runs across four innings, averaging 31.5.
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The PCB’s latest contract structure categorizes players as follows: Category B includes nine players—Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Salman Ali Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, and Abrar Ahmed. Category C features 10 players such as Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, and Saud Shakeel, while Category D lists emerging names including Mohammad Wasim Jr, Khurram Shahzad, and Shan Masood.
Rizwan’s decision to delay signing highlights growing unease among senior players regarding pay scales and selection policies. While the PCB maintains silence on his demands, insiders suggest the board wants to maintain uniformity in the new contract structure to avoid internal disparities.