Players Playing Domestic Cricket to Save Central Contracts: Ahmed Shehzad
Zeeshan Mehtab
Published September 19, 2026 | 12:12 PM
Players are required to play a specified number of domestic matches under their central contracts or they will not remain eligible, says the former cricketer.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2026) Former Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has stated that players are playing domestic cricket to safeguard their central contracts.
While speaking on a private TV program, the 34-year-old former cricketer noted that players’ return to domestic cricket is not a choice but a consequence of the central contracts.
He further elaborated that central contracts demand players participate in a certain number of domestic matches; otherwise, they will not be eligible for central contracts.
Shehzad also criticized the pitches used in domestic cricket, arguing that if an unusually high number of runs are scored in matches, the system’s intended purpose will not be achieved.
He suggested that pitches should be designed to assist bowlers, enabling batters to address their technical weaknesses and prepare more effectively for international cricket.
It's worth noting that several prominent players, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Salman Ali Agha, are currently playing first-class cricket in the recent President’s Trophy, while Babar Azam is also set to join the tournament in the upcoming round.