Maroof, Javeria, Baig earn promotions as PCB announces hiked contracts

Left-arm spinner Anam Amin and middle-order batter Omaima Sohail are the new entrants in Pakistan Cricket Board’s performance-based women’s central contract list for the 2020-21 season. The nine-member central contracts list, comprising three categories, comes into effect from July 1 along with an inaugural nine-member emerging contract list as part of PCB’s efforts to raise the profile of women’s sport.

After a board review, Bismah Maroof has been retained as Pakistan Women’s all-formats captain for the 2020-21 season which will see the team playing the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier and the ACC Women’s Asia Cup over the next 12 months. However, PCB has decided against renewing the contract of the head coach and will instead advertise for the vacancy in due course.

Along with skipper Maroof, vice-captain Javeria Khan and fast bowling sensation Diana Baig have earned promotions on the back of their international performances in last season. On the contrary, star allrounder Nida Dar sees a demotion to Category C following an underwhelming international season.

More importantly, the nine central contracts will see an increment of 33 per cent in the monthly retainers of the Category A players, while players in Category B and C will receive 30 and 25 per cent rise, respectively. Additionally, the board has also decided to hike the players’ match fee and event prize money by 100 per cent, while daily allowances have been increased by 50 per cent.

Teenagers Syeda Aroob Shah (16) and Ayesha Naseem (15), who made their debut at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, are among the nine players in the newly introduced emerging players category of contracts, selected after noteworthy performances in domestic and international cricket.

Women’s central contract list 2020-21:

Category A – Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan

Category B – Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig and Sidra Nawaz

Category C – Anam Amin, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar and Omaima Sohail.

Women’s emerging contract list 2020-21: Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Kainat Hafeez, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Najiha Alvi, Rameen Shamim, Saba Nazir, Sadia Iqbal and Syeda Aroob Shah

“The selection committee had detailed deliberations prior to announcing the central contracts. International performances over the past 12 months, fitness standards and the players’ ability to contribute in both white-ball formats were key measures that formed the criteria for the selection.

“Diana Baig has been promoted to Category B,” said Urooj Mumtaz, the chair of the national women’s selection committee, “as she topped the T20I bowling charts for Pakistan in the last 12 months. Leading the pace bowling attack she has shown tremendous improvement with control over the ball along with being an exceptional fielder.

“I am pleased for both new entries, Omaima Sohail and Anam Amin. Omaima has been added after being a consistent member of the side in both formats while Anam has been outstanding with the ball in T20 cricket, being the highest wicket-taker in the domestic and joint-highest in the international circuit.

“We had to take some tough decisions and would like to emphasize and encourage those who have missed out to take this as an opportunity to improve their game and make a strong comeback.”

PCB will also conduct an “overall performance-based review” in six months’ time “primarily to motivate the players to continue to excel, eliminating the element of complacency.”