The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) awarded on Thursday central contracts to 19 players for the 2019-20 season, during which the men’s cricket team will play six World Test Championship Tests, three ODIs and nine T20Is. The PCB have cut the contracts from 33 to 19 players, with skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah and batting superstar Babar Azam awarded the Category A contract. Veteran cricketers Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik have not been offered central contracts, however, the board said that the players will remain available for selection. Whereas, fast bowler Mohammad Amir and opening batsman Fakhar Zaman, who were in categories A and B respectively in the previous contracts, have both been demoted to the C category. “I want to congratulate all those who have been offered central contracts for the next season. We have significantly increased the financial value of the 2019-20 retainers across each category. This is over and above what had been agreed in the current agreement, which is due to run until 2021,” said PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan said. “The PCB have set high standards and targets in its strategic plan for the upcoming season. We want to attach a high value to receiving a central contract,” he added. Category A– Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah Category B– Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Abbas, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz are awarded the Category B. Category C – Abid Ali, Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Usman Shinwari The players that have missed the PCB central contracts this year includes: Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees, Asif Ali, Rahat Ali, Usman Salahuddin, Hussain Talat, Bilal Asif, Saad Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Umaid Asif and Mir Hamza