Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has added three more spots in central contracts for women cricketers for the 2021-22 season.
The cricket board has awarded 20 contracts for the 2021-22 cricket season, which is two more than the previous. These contracts, which come into effect from 1 July, include 12 spots, divided between A, B and C categories, while eight cricketers have been retained in the emerging contracts list.
Monthly retainers across all rungs – including the emerging category – have been increased by 10 per cent and the national women’s selection committee has kept one spot open in the central contracts that will be awarded in the year based on on-field performance.
The central contracts have been awarded after factoring in the on-field performances in the past one year at both international and domestic level, and with an eye on the future engagements.
The national women’s side returned to action in January 2021 with the tour of South Africa for three ODIs and three T20Is after the Covid-19 pandemic had put a halt on the game around the world.
They then played a 50-over fixture against Zimbabwe at Harare before the tour had to be cut short because of the national team’s carrier’s decision to halt its flight operations in the region.
The 2020-21 season also saw the PCB organise National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, a three-team competition, played at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi from 22 November till 1 December.
All-rounder Nida Dar has been promoted to category B from C. PCB Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year Award winner of 2020 has been bumped up from the emerging list to category C of the central contracts
Kainat Imtiaz has also been given a category C contract with left-arm orthodox spinner Nashra Sandhu
Javeria Khan, who captained Pakistan in Africa and will continue leading the national side in the three T20Is and five ODIs against West Indies in Antigua, is retained in the top category. She is joined by Bismah Maroof, who is on a maternity leave as per the recently announced PCB’s Parental Support Policy.
All eight cricketers who received emerging contracts last year have been retained in the category. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz has been demoted to category C from B.
Central contracts for women’s cricketers for 2021-22 season:
Category A – Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan
Category B – Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig and Nida Dar
Category C – Anam Amin, Fatima Sana, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail and Sidra Nawaz
Emerging contracts for women’s cricketers for 2021-22 season: Ayesha Naseem, Kaynat Hafeez, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Najiha Alvi, Rameen Shamim, Saba Nazir, Sadia Iqbal and Syeda Aroob Shah.
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