ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has given separate contracts to players in the Test and limited-overs squads in a bid to build long-term depth, the chief selector said Thursday.

Previously, top players were offered one contract and could be called on to play any version of the game, but specialisation has made this out of fashion for many cricketing nations.

“These contracts are part of our vision and strategy to identify, groom and develop specialists for the traditional and purist format of the game,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said at a a press conference.

Babar Azam, captain of the Test, ODI and Twenty20 teams, is one of just five players offered both red and white ball contracts.

The others are pacers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi, batter Imam-ul-Haq and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Ten players received Test contracts, while 11 players earned contracts for the shorter versions of the game.

All players named will get a 10 per cent increase in their match fees, while Azam also gets a bonus for being captain.

Red and white ball contracts: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali and Imam-ul-Haq.

Red ball: Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Abid Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah

White ball: Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir and Zahid Mehmood.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2022