Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali and wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan have been rewarded with the highest grade of central contracts in the latest list released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the year 2021-22.
A total of 20 players have been included in the list of the central contract that will run from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
Hasan had missed out on being included in the centrally contracted players list last year after getting injured.
Rizwan has got the promotion from Grade B to Grade A.
There are few new faces in the list as well which include Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Nawaz and Nauman Ali.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi are the other two players in the Category A while Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Fawad Alam, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah are in the Category B.
The Category C comprises Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali and Sarfaraz Ahmed. Imran Butt, PSL 2021 bowling sensation Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir are included in the Emerging category.
"Selecting 20 players amongst a big pool of quality cricketers is always a challenging task," PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said. "Emerging Category recognises and rewards the up and coming talent. We have seen the emergence of Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain move from an Emerging Category to Category C, and the likes of Imran Butt, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir breaking into the Emerging Category. The Emerging Category remains a platform for young players to break into the central contract system."
There is an increase by 25 percent in Category A to C while the Emerging Category players have received a 15 percent boost.