Sadia Iqbal Gets Category ‘A’ Central Contract For 2025-26 Season

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published August 06, 2025 | 02:28 PM

PCB introduces an ‘E’ category, designates as Emerging category in order to encourage young and budding cricketers

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 6^th, 2025) Sadia Iqbal, currently ranked at the top of ICC T20I bowling rankings, has been awarded a Category ‘A’ central contract as the Pakistan cricket board announces the Women’s Central Contracts for the 2025-26 season.

To encourage young and budding cricketers, the PCB has also introduced an ‘E’ category, designated as the Emerging category.

Two players – Eyman Fatima (uncapped) and Shawaal Zulfiqar (three ODIs, seven T20Is) are part of the Emerging category. Both players are members of the Ireland-bound Pakistan women’s squad, which is set to play three T20Is from 6 to 10 August in Dublin. Also, both players were part of the inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup held in South Africa in January 2023.

A total of 20 players have been awarded contracts across five categories, with 10 players placed in Category D.

The contracts, which run from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, see a substantial 50 per cent increase across all categories in player retainers. The contracts were finalised by the women’s selection committee in consultation with head coach Muhammad Wasim.

Over the next 12 months, the Pakistan women’s team will feature in two ICC events – ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (September-October 2025) and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (June 2026), in addition to playing bilateral series at home and away.

Among the 20 contracted players, Aliya Riaz (Category B), Natalia Parvaiz (Category D), Sidra Nawaz (Category D), Waheeda Akhtar (Category D), Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar (both Category E) are new inclusions.