Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has promoted fast bowler Mohammad Amir to top category but snubbed batsman Umar Akmal in the newly announced central contracts, given on the basis of performances in international and domestic matches. Opener Ahmad Shahzad and fast bowler Wahab Riaz are among the 35 players who have been awarded central contracts by the PCB for the year 2017-2018 despite their dismal performances in recent games. Shahzad, who was in category D, has been promoted to category C as more young players, who have yet to make their international debut, are added in the former category. Amir got the category A following his brilliant Champions Trophy performance, just 19 months since returning to international cricket after a five-year spot-fixing ban. Amir, who was earlier listed in the B category after his return to the game, has joined the ranks of captain Sarfraz Ahmad, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Yasir Shah. The 25-year-old, along with then captain Salman Butt and pace partner Mohammad Asif, was banned in 2010 for arranging deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord’s Test in England. All three players were also jailed by a UK court in 2011. Since his return in January last year, Amir has taken 43 wickets in 14 Tests, 30 in 21 one-day internationals and 11 in 13 Twenty20s. He took three crucial wickets in Pakistan’s improbable Champions Trophy victory over arch-rivals India in London last month.

The PCB has shuffled several players while awarding new list of contracts for national duty. “A number of young players have been awarded contracts this year keeping in mind that the national team’s performances in all formats,” said a PCB spokesman on Wednesday. The spokesman claimed that contracts were awarded after reviewing the players’ performance, fitness and discipline. The number of players awarded central contracts have also increased from 30 to 35. The monthly retainers of all players have been increased by 10 percent as per a three-year understanding between the players and the PCB management. After the aforementioned changes, category A players will now receive monthly remuneration of Rs650,000, while category B players will earn Rs450,000 per month. Meanwhile, category C and D players will take home Rs260,000 and Rs179,000 every month, respectively.

Umar’s international career appears to be at crossroads after the PCB omitted him from the list for the year starting July 1, 2017. He is the most notable omission from the list, with his fitness having been a major concern for much of his career. Umar was originally named in the ICC Champions Trophy squad but was axed after failing two fitness tests leading up to the start of the tournament in England. Umar had previously been dropped from a tour of the West Indies in April for similar reasons. He was excluded from that squad after he was the only player, out of 31, to fail the fitness test during a camp held at the National Cricket Academy in March. He was named in the national high performance camp organised by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) but pulled out, citing a knee injury. He informed the relevant officials – including head coach Mushtaq Ahmed – and excused himself for five weeks, during which he intends to undergo rehabilitation with his private trainer in England.

Right-hand batsman Babar Azam, touted to be Pakistan’s Virat Kohli by head coach Mickey Arthur, is promoted from category C to B. All-rounder Imad Wasim and right-arm pacer and Champions Trophy’s highest wicket-taker Hasan Ali also made similar leaps from category C to B. Asad Shafiq is the only player in category B who has retained his position. Junaid Khan, who had been axed last year has been offered a Category C contract, while fellow left-arm fast bowlers Wahab and Rahat Ali have been demoted from Category B to C. The PCB has also picked an additional wicketkeeper, Mohammad Hasan, in the list along with Sarfraz Ahmed – captain in all three formats – and Mohammad Rizwan, who is demoted from Category C to D. Usman Salahuddin, who was given a contract in 2012 before fading away, has once more returned to national contention. As a possible contender for one of the vacancies in the Test team’s middle order, he has been given a Category D contract. Umar Amin, who has also been absent from the central contracts list for the past few years, returns in Category D. Bilal Asif, who was included in Category D, is the only off-spinner among the 35 players to be offered central contracts.

The PCB has also named chief selector Inzamamul Haq’s nephew Imamul Haq in the emerging players’ category. He recently had a productive stint with Pakistan Under-23, scoring two back-to-back hundreds in Bangladesh. Asif Zakir, a batsman from Karachi, has also been rewarded with a Category D contract for successive prolific domestic seasons after he scored 791 runs in 10 first-class matches in 2015-16 at an average of 56.50, and 853 first runs at 85.30 in 2016-17.

Central Contracts list:

Category A: Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir.

Category B: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Asad Shafiq and Hasan Ali.

Category C: Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Haris Sohail, Sami Aslam, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Junaid Khan, Ahmad Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Shahdab Khan.

Category D: Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Zakir, Usman Salahuddin, Amir Yamin, Usman Shinwari, Faheem Ashraf, Ruman Raees, Imam-ul-Haq, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Umer Amin, Mohammad Hasan, Mohammad Asghar and Mohammad Rizwan.

Published in Daily Times, July 13^th , 2017.