Pakistan Cricket Board downgrades contracts for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam (L) and Mohammad Rizwan run between the wickets during the Asia Cup 2023 cricket match between Pakistan and Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on August 30, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 19 August 2025
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Pakistan Cricket Board downgrades contracts for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

  • No player awarded top-tier contract as PCB splits pool evenly across B, C and D categories
  • Test captain Shan Masood, pacer Naseem Shah demoted as part of PCB’s contract reshuffle

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board has downgraded deals for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the latest list of 30 centrally contracted players announced on Tuesday.

Both Babar and Rizwan were in category A but have been relegated to join Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi in category B.

The PCB didn’t contract any players at the highest level, instead selecting 10 players in each of the B, C and D categories.

Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson said last weekend that Babar needed to work on his strike-rate and playing against spin in the T20 format. Selectors yet again ignored both Babar and Rizwan in the Pakistan T20 squad for an upcoming tri-series and the Asia Cup.

Pakistan finished at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship and the PCB has demoted its test captain Shan Masood from category B to category D.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah, who was also dropped for the upcoming T20 tournaments in the United Arab Emirates, was dropped from the second tier to the third tier of contracted players.

Wickekeeper-batter Usman Khan, who chose to play for Pakistan over the UAE, was among the eight international players who didn’t get a central contract.

While some key Pakistan cricketers were demoted, legspinner Ahmed, fast bowler Rauf, opening batter Ayub, T20 captain Agha and legspinner Shadab Khan were all upgraded from C to B category contracts.

The contracts run through June 30, 2026.


Dubai Basketball produce dramatic comeback win over Real Madrid

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Dubai Basketball produce dramatic comeback win over Real Madrid

  • The 93-85 victory at Coca-Cola Arena secured back-to-back EuroLeague home wins in the span of 48 hours

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball delivered another unforgettable night at Coca-Cola Arena, defeating Real Madrid 93-85 to secure back-to-back EuroLeague home wins in the span of 48 hours.

In front of a fired-up 7,000-strong home crowd, Dubai once again turned the arena into one of the most difficult venues in the competition, overpowering one of the most decorated teams in European basketball through sheer energy.

The night did not start easily for the home side. Real Madrid imposed themselves early, opening up a lead and testing Dubai’s resilience. But as the game wore on, the atmosphere inside Coca-Cola Arena began to shift. Defensive stops sparked momentum, the crowd found its voice, and Dubai surged back into the contest with renewed intensity.

Dubai flipped the game late in the third quarter, igniting the arena with a relentless run that changed the tone of the night. From there, the home side never looked back. Defensive pressure, composed execution and confidence on both ends allowed Dubai to close out the game in style, holding Real Madrid scoreless from the field for long stretches of the final quarter.

Dubai’s first signing of the new season, Dzanan Musa, led the charge against his former club with a standout performance, while McKinley Wright, Filip Petrusev and Dwayne Bacon delivered key moments at crucial stages. Dubai’s latest signing, Bruno Caboclo, made an impact on both ends, which lifted the team during the comeback, and Aleksa Avramovic controlled the tempo as Dubai powered to another statement win.

Head Coach Jurica Golemac praised both the team’s mentality and the role of the home crowd, saying, “It was an extremely tense game. The last 15 minutes, we found our rhythm and the fans gave us this extra push. Against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, to finish like this shows our character. We believe we can beat anybody.”

The victory marks another milestone in Dubai Basketball’s debut EuroLeague season, reinforcing Coca-Cola Arena’s growing reputation as one of the toughest home courts in the league.

As the season enters its decisive phase, belief continues to build — on the court, in the stands, and across the city — with Dubai Basketball firmly in the fight for the post-regular season phase.