In an expected move, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ignored three former skippers Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik and pacers Rana Naveed ul Hasan and Shoaib Akhtar, when it formally announced central contracts to 37 cricketers for one year starting from January 1, 2010.
-- Younus, Yousuf, Malik, Rana and Shoaib Akhtar not considered
The three former captains and Rana Naveed were not considered for central contract after the PCB banned Younus and Yousuf for indefinite period and Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed for a year with heavy fines in the aftermath of the Australia tour. Whereas Shoaib Akhtar has not played for Pakistan in any format since May last year.
However, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal who were also heavily fined had been awarded contract by the PCB. Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal were placed in Category-A, while Umar Akmal placed into Category B. Pacer Mohammad Asif, who was ignored last year due to a ban imposed for a drug test in the IPL and former ICL player Abdul Razzaq were also been placed Category-A.
Imran Farhat and Mohammad Aamer were given Category-B contract. Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Aamir Sajjad, Naveed Yasin, Azhar Ali and Tanvir Ahmad were selected for stipends for being the top performers in domestic cricket, while Azeem Ghumman, Hammad Azam, Babar Azam, Raza Hasan, Sarmad Bhatti and Usman Qadir were rewarded for stipend after helping the Pakistan U-19 team reach the final of the World Cup held in New Zealand in January.
Out of 37 players who were awarded central contract by the PCB, 7 cricketers were placed on Category-A, 6 in Category-B, 5 in Category-C while 19 other cricketers were selected for monthly stipend. Players in the Category-A are entitled for Rs 250,000 per month, while players in 'B' and 'C' Category will earn Rs 175,000 and Rs 100,000 per month, respectively.
The players placed in stipend category are entitled for Rs 50,000 per month, sources in the PCB told Business Recorder. According to the sources, PCB has awarded central contracts to the players after due consultation with chairman selection committee Mohsin Hassan Khan. The four senior most cricketers were not considered due to ban imposed on them.
However, the names of Yousuf and Younus can be awarded central contract, if the ban imposed them is lifted, the sources claimed. Critics of the game have questioned the decisions of PCB management, which on one side ignored the senior most cricketers, while on the other hand they also awarded central contracts to three players who were fined.
According to a PCB press release, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Salman Butt, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammed Asif and Danish Kaneria were placed in Category-A. Umer Akmal, Mohammad Aamir, Saeed Ajmal, Faisal Iqbal, Misbah-ul-Haq and Imran Farhat were awarded Category-B. Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Rehman have been placed in Category-C.
The players selected for stipend are: Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Aamir Sajjad, Naveed Yasin, Azhar Ali, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Tanveer Ahmad, Sarfraz Ahmad, Zulqarnain Haider, Umair Khan, Mohammad Talha, Shahzaib Hassan, Azeem Ghumman, Hammad Azam, Baber Azam, Raza Hasan, Sarmad Bhatti and Usman Qadir.
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