Pakistan Cricket Earnings in 2025-26: What Changed at PCB
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced central contracts for 30 players this season. According to the official PCB announcement, no player was placed in Category A. This is one of the biggest shifts in Pakistan cricket pay in recent years.
Players were split evenly into Category B, C, and D. Each group receives a different monthly salary.
Central Contract Categories Explained
Category B players get close to Rs. 30 lakh a month. Category C players get around Rs. 25 lakh. Category D players receive close to Rs. 15 lakh. These figures are based on publicly reported contract details.
| Category | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Rs. 30 lakh | Rs. 3.6 crore | 10 |
| C | Rs. 25 lakh | Rs. 3 crore | 10 |
| D | Rs. 15 lakh | Rs. 1.8 crore | 10 |
Babar Azam’s CA Sports Deal Explained
Babar Azam now sits in Category B, since PCB removed Category A this season. His PCB salary, though, is only one part of his income.
Reports suggest Babar signed a sponsorship agreement with CA Sports, a well known Pakistani bat maker. The deal is reportedly worth close to Rs. 7 crore a year.
This makes it one of the largest bat sponsorship deals linked to a Pakistani cricketer so far.
Match Fees and PSL Add to Player Income
Central contracts are not the only source of pay. Players also earn match fees for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. These fees depend on how many matches a player plays each year.
Franchise cricket adds even more. With the PSL 2027 dates now confirmed, the league remains one of the biggest income sources for contracted players after their PCB salary.
Highest Paid Pakistani Cricketers This Season
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman are generally seen as Pakistan’s top earners. Their income comes from a mix of PCB salary, match fees, PSL contracts, and sponsorship deals.
Several emerging players also received their first central contracts this season. Many are already part of Pakistan’s next T20 generation Asian Games squad, showing PCB’s focus on building squad depth, with several also linked to the Asian Games 2026 road to Japan.
How Pakistan Compares With Other Cricket Boards
Pakistan’s cricket economy is still smaller than India’s. The BCCI earns far more from media rights and sponsorships, which lets it pay players higher amounts overall.
Even so, player pay in Pakistan has grown steadily through PSL and local sponsorship deals over the past few seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Babar Azam earn from his PCB contract?
Babar Azam is listed in Category B for the 2025-26 season. Reported figures put Category B salary at close to Rs. 30 lakh a month, or about Rs. 3.6 crore a year.
Why did PCB remove Category A this season?
According to PCB’s announcement, no player met the criteria for Category A in 2025-26, so the category stayed empty for the full season.
What is Babar Azam’s CA Sports deal worth?
Media reports place the deal at close to Rs. 7 crore a year, making it one of the largest bat sponsorship agreements linked to a Pakistani cricketer.
Do Pakistani cricketers earn more from PCB contracts or sponsorships?
For top players, sponsorship and endorsement income can be larger than PCB salary, depending on the brand deals a player signs.
Which Pakistani cricketers are the highest paid right now?
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman are widely seen as Pakistan’s top earning cricketers this season.
How many players received PCB central contracts this season?
PCB handed out central contracts to 30 players for the 2025-26 international season, up from 27 the previous year.
