Aamir Jamal Expresses Surprise Over Central Contract Omission

Pakistan’s Test all-rounder, Aamir Jamal, has voiced his reaction after being excluded from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) central contracts for the 2025–26 season.

In a discussion with a local sports outlet, the 29-year-old shared his astonishment at the decision, mentioning he received no prior communication from the board.

“Regarding the central contract, naturally, I was taken aback because nobody reached out to me—neither the selection committee members nor the international department. I didn’t even make inquiries, as I believe that whatever is destined for me will be achieved through dedication regardless,” Jamal stated.

To provide context, on August 19, the cricket board revealed the central contracts for men for 2025–26, doing away with Category A and leaving out several well-known cricketers.

Eight players from the previous year’s Category D—Aamir Jamal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Usman Khan—were not included this time.

This year, the PCB has allocated 10 players to each of Categories B, C, and D.

The right-arm fast bowler, who has experienced periods in and out of the national team due to fitness concerns, reflected on the difficulties of recovering from injury.

“When sidelined due to injury, it’s important to ensure you’re fully fit medically. This involves staying at the NCA, undergoing rehabilitation, and once cleared by the medical staff, demonstrating your match fitness,” he explained.

Jamal also conveyed his disappointment regarding the absence of financial assistance from the PCB during his rehabilitation, noting that he had to cover all expenses personally.

“Saim Ayub and I were in England simultaneously—he was injured during the second South Africa Test, whereas I was there using my own funds. I prefer not to disclose the exact amount, but I covered every cost myself, including scans, doctor’s fees, and therapy sessions,” he said.

Last year, the fast bowler had to prematurely end his time with Warwickshire following a back injury during the county season.

He played in three Tests and six T20Is for the county team after joining in April but was sidelined after June 8, when scans confirmed the severity of his injury.

Although his agreement was initially set to continue until July 19, it was mutually terminated due to his failure to regain fitness.

Around the same time, the PCB also removed him from Pakistan’s two-Test squad against Bangladesh, after initially naming him conditionally—subject to passing a fitness assessment.

Despite these challenges, Jamal successfully regained his fitness and was recalled for Pakistan’s three-match Test series against England in September–October 2024.

He was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-1 series victory, reaffirming his all-round capabilities in the longer format.

Since his Test debut, Jamal has become a promising red-ball player for Pakistan.

In just eight Test matches, he has amassed 352 runs, including two half-centuries, and taken 21 wickets at an economy rate of 4.63, including two five-wicket hauls.

His most recent appearance was during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa earlier this year, where he played in the Cape Town Test in January 2025.

However, he was excluded from the subsequent three-match Test series against the West Indies, which concluded in a 1-1 draw, due to managing his workload.