The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the new annual central contracts for the senior women's cricket team on Saturday. The former captain and the star cricketer Nida Dar's name was missing in the major shake-off to revised contracts for the 2024-25 season.
As expected the new captain and the star all-rounder Fatima Sana was promoted to Category A along with Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin. Sana has been the country's best performer in 2024 and was tipped to earn the top-bracket salary.
The uncapped pacer Tasmia Rubab, 21, has also been offered her maiden central contract while Gull Feroza and Rameen Shamin were included in Category D after being excluded from the previous contracts.
However, there was no place for Nida Dar which came as a shock for the fans. The 37-year-old spin all-rounder holds the record for most T20I wickets for her nation but has struggled for consistency in 2024.
“On behalf of the PCB, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Sadia Iqbal on their well-earned promotions, as well as to Tasmia Rubab for receiving the central contract for the first time," PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed. "Her inclusion and progression, as well as the return of Gull Feroza and Rameen Shamim highlight our commitment to recognising consistent performances and rewarding talent.
“The 2024-25 central contracts reflect our forward-looking strategy as we prepare for the new ICC Women’s Future Tours Programme. By further investing in established players through significantly enhanced retainers and offering clear pathways to the emerging cricketer, we aim to strike a balance between nurturing future stars and sustaining competitiveness at the highest level."
PCB's list of centrally contracted players:
Category A: Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin.
Category B: Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal.
Category C: Diana Baig, Omaima Sohail.
Category D: Ghulam Fatima, Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani.
