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Pakistan left out discarded Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal from its list of central contracts announced on Thursday.
The 36-year-old Afridi has not been selected since Pakistan's early exit from the World Twenty20 in India in April this year. The all-rounder stepped down from captaincy but expressed a wish to continue as a player.
Afridi was in category A, the highest rung in last year's contract.
Offspinner Ajmal was in category B last year but lost his place after his remodelled action saw him left out of the team since May last year.
Ajmal's bowling action was reported for chucking in July 2014 and cleared last year but his new action left him less effective.
Pakistan Cricket Board said 30 players are included in four categories with Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, one-day captain Azhar Ali and Twenty20 captain Sarfraz Ahmed placed among eight players in category A.
Maverick batsman Umar Akmal was demoted from C to D category while leg spinner Yasir Shah is promoted to A from B after helping Pakistan to a series draw in England with 19 wickets in August this year.
Category A
Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz
Category B
Rahat Ali, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Amir
Category C
Haris Sohail, MOhammad Rizwan, Imran Khan Sr., Shan Masood, Mohammad Irfan, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Hassan Ali, Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir
Category D
Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Asghar, Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Akmal
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On DawnNews
Comments (47) Closed
Oct 27, 2016 10:43pm
shahid afridi and ajmal are almost retire.all pakistanis were expecting this.
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Oct 27, 2016 10:47pm
Asad Shafiq should have been given category A and to Hafeez category C.
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Oct 27, 2016 10:59pm
Ahmed Shahzad and Umar Akmal in category D must be their punishment for being highly indisciplined.
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Oct 27, 2016 11:28pm
Why hafeez in category A this is joke
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Oct 27, 2016 11:37pm
Very appropriate. Since they are not in their plans for the future then why to give them monthly income.
They still have a right to keep playing domestic and prove their worth.
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Oct 28, 2016 12:00am
What is Mohammed Hafiz doing in category A, he should be in C
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Oct 28, 2016 12:02am
Babar Azam in category c????
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Oct 28, 2016 12:12am
Other than Hafeez it all looks okay.
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Oct 28, 2016 12:46am
There comes a time when everyone has to hang their gloves. Afridi's time had come couple years ago. It took some time PCB to realize this. Afridi has done great for Pakistan cricket. If he still wants to play in national cricket, he should earn his way back in the team by working hard and focusing on his game.
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Oct 28, 2016 01:00am
Regretfully this is no way to treat our super star cricketers on more than one occasion both shahid afridi and saeed ajmal single handedly brought glory for Pakistan. This is an insulting way os saying goodby to seniors. At least PCB should have offered golden hand shake to these great performers.
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Oct 28, 2016 01:24am
why in the world hafiz, shoaib and wahab are in category A, hafiz particularly. totally mind boggling
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Oct 28, 2016 01:46am
What's the point of giving Hafeez A contract. He has no place in National team. Instead of paying him big amount every month PCB should give C category contacts to couple of more youngsters. I just don't get this why PCB is pampering Hafeez does he have any political connection even so it's totally not fair with youngsters because not only he will be keep pocketing big chunk every month he will be considered for selection since he is A category player.
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Oct 28, 2016 01:55am
Shoaib and Hafeez are Nawaz and Shahbaz of pak team.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:00am
If these are performance based contract then Asad Shafiq should be in Category A... his performance with the fact that technically he is the best batsman in the team support his case to be promoted.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:20am
Hafeez is still in "A" Contract? lol! cannot Bat or Bowl but? He must know someone very important.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:38am
Hafeez needs to be B or C. Babar Azam and Imad Wasim need to be B. Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Ahmed Shazad and Umar Akmal need to be C.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:58am
Wow Hafeez in category A after missing majority of the season and doing really bad in recent domestic season!! I would be surprised if he ever plays again after emergence of Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, and Mohammed Nawaz. Not to mention there is solid bench strength besides Hafeez! Also surprised that Sohaib Maqsood didn't make the cut...even though he is not the best, but he can still be handy!!!!
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Oct 28, 2016 03:18am
How come Hafeez and Shoaib Malik got category A? They don't even have a place in the team. Why Babar Azam and Asad Shafiq are so low?
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Oct 28, 2016 03:55am
Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in category A and Babar Azam and Imad wasim in category C....this is the beauty of Pakistan and I can proudly say that you will find it nowhere in the world.
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Oct 28, 2016 03:57am
Good Decision to remove Afridi out of this total lot...appriciated
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Oct 28, 2016 04:18am
What a shame..Asad Shafiq is in B category..and old days heros..completely out..
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Oct 28, 2016 04:22am
this is pathatic for PCB, Lal is a Legend of the game name one other allrounder of his ability and can hold is place in the team for that long
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Oct 28, 2016 06:46am
Hafeez still in category A???
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Oct 28, 2016 06:51am
What has Hafeez done to be in Cat A !!
Bravo to PCB for leaving out Afridi
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Oct 28, 2016 06:53am
Good move pcb.we need a strong cohesive team for future and players who are obsessed with being treated like legends dont deserve a place. Afridi should not create a furore over this decision and respectably accept it.
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Oct 28, 2016 07:13am
Under what justification M. Hafeez has been given A category?
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Oct 28, 2016 07:28am
haris sohail havnt played form more than a year, and still in contract while junaid khan who won matches for us, is left out completely.
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Oct 28, 2016 09:07am
Hope Afridi retires now!
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Oct 28, 2016 09:16am
I just wonder who does Hafeez sleeps with in PCB to continue to be the highest paid cricketer in Pakistan. He has done zilch the entire year. Doesn't score runs against any team with half decent bowling attack and now he can't bowl either.
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Oct 28, 2016 09:37am
Shahid Afridi ....Good riddance. THough sorry to see Ajmal left out.
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Oct 28, 2016 09:43am
Along Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal another notable exclusion from PCB central contracts are Junaid Khan and Fawad Alam .
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Oct 28, 2016 09:53am
If this country can let go of holding former greats in reverance and revere them long past their glory days we will make so much progress even economically. This will bring better talent weather it is sport or politics into transformation state
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Oct 28, 2016 09:54am
Why Hafeez and Shoaib in category A???
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Oct 28, 2016 10:51am
I wonder what SHOAIB MALAK is doing in catagory A
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Oct 28, 2016 11:15am
How come Fawad and Junaid were not considered even for The lowest category contracts , while Malik and Hafeez both got A contracts?
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Oct 28, 2016 11:22am
Hafiz does not deserve to be part of the team, let alone be given the top contract.
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Oct 28, 2016 11:53am
Hafeez dont deserve any category. Junaid big miss. Those who at the helm of affairs should consider any player keeping in view Pakistan best interest.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:37pm
Finally. Shahid Afridi never deserved a spot in the team anyways.
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Oct 28, 2016 02:40pm
good decision as far as Afridi is concern,good riddance and good luck to him and thank you
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Oct 28, 2016 02:55pm
Hafeez in category A.are you serious?
He shouldnt be given any contract at all.
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Oct 28, 2016 03:17pm
Everybody is just hating Hafeez for his recent performances in England and no baody knows who performed in last series against newzealand and england in newzealand and UAE respectively. Hafeez has won o many matches in 14-15 while there are hardly any matchwinner in pak team right now in shortest form.
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Oct 28, 2016 03:50pm
It is a good decision. The problem is that Pakistan Players do not go out with respect. They have to be pushed out. Thw same is going to happen to Misbah and Younis Khan. These two must see the writing on the wall. They are old and must go with respect, but it does not look like, they would. Hafeez and Shoaib Malik ahould have been dropped as well. But seems that they have good backing uncles in PCB. Pakistan should infuse new blood in the team, otherwise we will not be ready for future.
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Oct 28, 2016 03:50pm
It is a good decision. The problem is that Pakistan Players do not go out with respect. They have to be pushed out. Thw same is going to happen to Misbah and Younis Khan. These two must see the writing on the wall. They are old and must go with respect, but it does not look like, they would. Hafeez and Shoaib Malik ahould have been dropped as well. But seems that they have good backing uncles in PCB. Pakistan should infuse new blood in the team, otherwise we will not be ready for future.
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Oct 28, 2016 06:50pm
Mohammad Hafeez has very high income ratio with scored runs.
ratio = income / runs
approx Rs 18000 per run in 2015.
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Oct 28, 2016 08:07pm
never seen so poor board. suprise to see category till D.
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Oct 28, 2016 11:35pm
Thank God!!
Afridi would still be happy hitting the limelight with this news anyway.
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Oct 29, 2016 12:18pm
Both of them must immediately announce their retirement from international cricket if they want to end their cricketing career with honor and dignity.
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