Fans react after PCB Demote Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in central contracts for 2025-2026

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) The announcement of central contracts for the 2025-26 season sent shock waves through the Fraternity of Cricket. At the heart of the storm is the demotion of two of the most famous cricket players in Pakistan, Babar Azam And Muhammad ricewanprestigious Category A has Category B. The decision, arriving only a few days after their controversial exclusion from Pakistan‘s Asia Cup 2025 Squad, marks a seismic change in the direction of Pakistani cricket and has greatly divided fans on social networks.

Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan have been demoted to PCB central contracts

For years, Azam and Rizwan have been the faces of the Pakistan strike, dominating the formats and constantly transporting the hopes of the nation. Their fall in grace is simply dramatic. Once the only two players in category A, the duo is now grouped together with category B names such as Shaheen Shah Afridi,, Haris Raufand promising spinner Abrar Ahmed.

The decision stems from a change of philosophy. Chief selector Aqib Javed Openly criticized the T20i strike rates of the duo – the 129 Babar and the 125 of Rizwan – arguing that they no longer integrate into the new “aggressive” cricket plan in Pakistan. Neither of them in the T20is since the end of 2024, their omission of the Asian Cup and the degradation of the subsequent contract resemble the PCB drawn from a final line under a time.

The backlash was rapid. Fans wonder if the PCB acted too hard, while the old pater Tanveer Ahmed even suggested that the pair is considering her retirement if she felt disrespectful, comparing their situation Virat Kohli has carefully managed his career transitions.

Break contracts: money, status and recognition

Central contracts with Pakistani crickets are more than a pay check – they are a marker of status, recognition and influence. Traditionally, category A contracts, worth 4.5 million PKR per month (about $ 15,590), were reserved for the real superstars of the country. On the other hand, category B contracts provide 3 million PKR per month, with categories C and D varying between 0.75 million PKR to 1.5 million.

In addition to wages, players under centralized contract also receive a share of 3% of the annual distribution of income for the PCB ICC, further strengthening the prestige attached to these transactions.

The 2025-20126 list, however, reports scanning changes. For the first time in recent memory, no player occupies category A. The PCB rather chose to spread the recognition more widely, passing the swimming pool from 27 to 30 players. Twelve new names, including Ahmed Daniyal, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad AbbasAnd Sufyan Moqimhave obtained young girl contracts. Meanwhile, artists love Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali AghaAnd Shadab Khan were rewarded with promotions in category C to B.

At the same time, eight players from the previous cycle – including Aamir Jamal, Kamran Ghulam, And USMAN KHAN – has completely lost their contracts, stressing the impressive of the current selection policy of Pakistan.

The most revealing signal, however, is the deliberate absence of category A players. By eliminating the upper support, the PCB seems determined to avoid untouchable superstars and strengthen a merit -based system, regardless of the size of a player’s past contributions.

Read also: 3 key reasons for which the exclusion of Babar Azam Pakistan from the Asia Cup 2025 team is a good call

Here’s how fans reacted:

Official – PCB demoted Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan in category B in the central contract. pic.twitter.com/fpwfu5rj

– Furn👑🖤 (@ furqan_ashfaq77) August 19, 2025

⚡️’folder Kohli ‘path’

Tanveer Ahmed Exhort Babar Azam and Rizwan to withdraw international cricket pic.twitter.com/uvudgny4wv

– Great India (@thegreatindiav) August 19, 2025

Salman Agha is also a permanent member of the team in the three formats and is also the captain of the team in a format.

When it was the pro Rizan and Babar file, they were both in category A.

Salman Agha is mistreated and he should have been in category A.

Look in Salman B to equalize Babar / Ricewan

– Ali Pentet (@CRIC_PUNDIT) August 19, 2025

🚨 Big News -Babar Azam, M Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi went from category A to central contracts 2025-26. #Pakistancricket #Babarazam pic.twitter.com/fwghjq0suz

– Behram Khan Sanzar (@ behramsanzar7) August 19, 2025

List of players centrally contacted this year:

Category B (10 players): Abara

Category C (10 players): Abdullah Shafic, Faheem Ashraf,… pic.twitter.com/mtkq975aw2

– Kashif (@critstate) August 19, 2025

Truth Du🔥🇵🇰
30 names, zero worthy of category A!
Central contracts based on performance means that if you cannot win for Pakistan, the inconsistency will take you. Once the pillars, Babar and Ricewan now look like bricks.#Pakistancricket #Babarazam #Rizwan #CentralContracts #Pcb #Cricket pic.twitter.com/ps4uydia50

– Usman Khan (@usmann_khann) August 19, 2025

PCB themselves admitted that they had no grade player. Players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi were also thrown into category B.

What a fall in the Pakistani cricket as well as the players. pic.twitter.com/towngkearv

– Satya Prakash (@ _satyaprakash08) August 19, 2025

🚨 Big News -Babar Azam, M Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi went from category A to central contracts 2025-26. #Pakistancricket #Babarazam #zonauang #hevier pic.twitter.com/pairne5hlw

– Cripster (@ccriterworld) August 19, 2025

Babar Azam and Rizwan went from category A to B.#Cricket #Pcb #Babarazam 𓃵 pic.twitter.com/lpusbjjilb

– Shakeel Khan Khattak (@shakeelktkkhan) August 19, 2025

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have demonstrated category B in the central PCB contract. pic.twitter.com/gpn6z1rsvd

– 𝐅 𝐀 𝐈 𝐙 𝐍 💫🇵🇰 (@ fetizanali_152) August 19, 2025

Read also: Fans react while Pakistan Drop Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Squad Asia Cup 2025