PCB Announces Women’s Contracts with 50% Pay Raise

News Desk 

Lahore: Pakistan’s top-ranked T20I bowler, Sadia Iqbal, has been awarded a Category A central contract as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the Women’s Central Contracts for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday.

Sadia, who currently leads the ICC T20I bowling rankings, joins fellow senior players Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, and Sidra Amin in the top contract bracket.

The announcement comes as the PCB introduces a revamped contract structure featuring five categories and a 50 percent increase in player retainers across the board.

In a major development aimed at nurturing young talent, the PCB has introduced a new Category E, designated for emerging players.

Two young cricketers – Eyman Fatima, who is yet to make her international debut, and Shawaal Zulfiqar, who has already featured in three ODIs and seven T20Is – have been included in this newly created category. 

Both players are part of the Ireland-bound national squad currently touring Dublin for a three-match T20I series from 6 to 10 August, and were part of Pakistan’s squad in the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 World Cup held in South Africa in January 2023.

The new contracts are effective from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, covering a busy international calendar for the national side, which includes two major ICC events – the Women’s Cricket World Cup (scheduled for September–October 2025) and the Women’s T20 World Cup (set for June 2026) – along with several bilateral series at home and abroad.

According to the PCB, a total of 20 players have been awarded central contracts. Six players have earned their first-time inclusion: Aliya Riaz (Category B), Natalia Parvaiz, Sidra Nawaz, and Waheeda Akhtar (all in Category D), alongside Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar in the Emerging Category E.

There have also been notable promotions in this year’s list. Diana Baig has moved up from Category C to B, while Rameen Shamim has been promoted from Category D to C.

The final contract list was prepared by the women’s selection committee in consultation with head coach Mohammad Wasim.

Central Contract Categories for 2025-26

Category A

• Fatima Sana
• Muneeba Ali
• Sadia Iqbal
• Sidra Amin

Category B

• Aliya Riaz (new inclusion)
• Diana Baig (promoted)
• Nashra Sandhu

Category C

• Rameen Shamim (promoted)

Category D

• Gull Feroza
• Najiha Alvi
• Natalia Parvaiz (new inclusion)
• Omaima Sohail
• Sadaf Shamas
• Sidra Nawaz (new inclusion)
• Syeda Aroob Shah
• Tuba Hassan
• Umm-e-Hani
• Waheeda Akhtar (new inclusion)

Category E (Emerging)

• Eyman Fatima (new inclusion)
• Shawaal Zulfiqar (new inclusion)

With the PCB increasing its focus on women’s cricket development and providing financial incentives, this new contract structure is expected to provide much-needed support and motivation to the players ahead of an action-packed year.

Inpur from PCB and Cricinfo websites.