Former captains not guaranteed top central contracts any more

PCB abolishes practice, will now award deals only on basis of performance

LAHORE: Having captained Pakistan in the past will not guarantee top category central contract anymore following the abandonment of the relevant policy by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Previously, former skippers were automatic choices for A category contracts, but as per new rules, the coveted deals will be handed to only those who are top performers, have exemplary disciplinary records and also have an important role in the team.

According to a PCB official, the decision was made on the insistence of chief selector Inzamamul Haq who is also a member of board’s Central Contracts Selection Committee.

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur, Director National Cricket Academy Mudassar Nazar and PCB’s General Manager International Cricket Usman Wahla are the others members of the body.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PCB had amended the criteria of selecting players in central contracts in 2014 in order to pave the way for veteran Younus Khan’s entry in A category after he refused to accept his demotion to B category.

The now-scrapped clause mentioned that any player who has played over 300 matches across the three formats of the game, and has captained in all three formats will be placed in category A.

However, the aforementioned criteria will not be practiced in the future after Inzamam’s objection.

The PCB last month announced central contracts and handed A category to incumbent captains Misbahul Haq, Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed along with former captains Younus Khan, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, while leg-spinner Yasir Shah was the sole non-captaincy-related inclusion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.

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