PCB Contracts: Amir in Grade A but Umar Akmal, Mohd Irfan Miss Out

35 players, 15 new, handed one year contracts by the PCB.

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and four other players were promoted by the Pakistan Cricket Board, which awarded new contracts to 35 cricketers on Wednesday.

The one-year contracts are in four categories with players getting a raise of 10 per cent in their monthly retainers.

Amir, who was in category B last year, was promoted to category A. Batsman Babar Azam, fast bowler Hasan Ali and allrounder Imad Wasim jumped to category B from C, while opening batsman Ahmed Shahzad moved one step up to category C.

Middle order batsman Umar Akmal and fast bowler Mohammad Irfan were notable players axed from the list as the PCB awarded contracts to 15 new players, including left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman and young legspinner Shadab Khan.

Akmal was sent back home from England in May after failing a fitness test ahead of the Champions Trophy. He also left Pakistan's current fitness camp in Lahore, saying he had to go to England for the rehabilitation of injury on his right knee.

"The central contracts were awarded after keeping in mind the performances, fitness, and discipline of the players," the PCB said in a statement.

Pakistan's Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfraz Ahmed is among six cricketers in category A who will each get a monthly retainer of around $6100 a month.

Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq and head coach Mickey Arthur were in the committee which recommended the 35 cricketers for central contracts and the list was approved by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.

Left-arm fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Rahat Ali were demoted to category C from B, while left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz and wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan also dropped down a category to D.

Along with Fakhar and Shadab, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali were also rewarded for their outstanding performances in the Champions Trophy.

PCB Contracts

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

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

Category C: Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Haris Sohail, Sami Aslam, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Junaid Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan

Category D: Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Zakir, Usman Salahuddin, Amir Yamin, Usman Shinwari, Fahim Ashraf, Ruman Raees, Imamul Haq, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Umar Amin, Mohammad Hasan, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Rizwan