Pakistan’s women cricketers have secured a 50-per-cent lift in their monthly retainers after the PCB confirmed a fresh set of central contracts, back-dated to 1 July 2025 and running through to 30 June 2026.
Headlines first
• Four players occupy the top bracket – Sadia Iqbal, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin.
• Left-arm spinner Iqbal, the current No. 1 bowler in the ICC T20I rankings, is the highest-profile promotion.
• A new fifth tier, Category E, has been introduced to fast-track emerging talent, with Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar the first beneficiaries.
• Overall, 22 players receive deals, up from 20 last year.
“This uplift recognises both performance and potential,” the PCB stated, adding that the board wants pay structures to “match the demands of the modern women’s game”.
Mohammad Wasim, now in charge of the women’s programme as head coach, echoed the sentiment. “The players work just as hard as any international cricketer. Increasing retainers is a simple acknowledgement of that,” he said during a media call.
Shifting categories
Fast bowler Diana Baig climbs from C to B, reflecting a consistent new-ball role, while off-spinner Rameen Shamim rises from D to C. All-rounder Aliya Riaz, omitted last season, returns in Category B after a productive domestic campaign.
The one notable absentee is former captain Nida Dar, who announced an indefinite break in April following a dip in form and well-documented tension with administrators. “Nida remains a respected figure; whenever she’s ready to play again the door stays open,” Wasim insisted.
Why Category E matters
Pakistan have struggled to widen their talent pool in recent years; the new Emerging tier is designed to protect promising youngsters from the financial uncertainty that often nudges them away from professional cricket.
Eyman Fatima, an uncapped 19-year-old opener, said she was “surprised but grateful” for the contract. “It means I can train full-time without worrying about costs,” she told PCB digital. Shawaal Zulfiqar, already capped in both limited-overs formats, called the move “a vote of confidence for the next generation”.
Busy calendar ahead
The timing is deliberate. Pakistan will contest the 2025 ODI World Cup in India in September-October, then shift focus to the 2026 T20 World Cup in England next June-July, with bilateral tours in between. Wasim believes the extra cash and clarity over selection will help. “Preparation is as much about stability off the field as it is net sessions,” he said.
Contract list 2025-26
Category A: Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin
Category B: Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu
Category C: Rameen Shamim
Category D: Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar
Category E (Emerging): Eyman Fatima, Shawaal Zulfiqar
Even with the increase, the women’s retainers still lag well behind the men’s contracts. The PCB has not disclosed figures, though independent estimates suggest Category A women now earn in the region of PKR 225,000 (£575) per month. That gap remains, but the latest adjustment is the largest single-year percentage jump since the PCB introduced women’s central contracts in 2019.
For Iqbal, top of the world rankings and now top of the payment ladder, the priority is straightforward. “Rankings and contracts are nice,” she said, “but winning matches is what really matters.”
