Inzamam gets the snub, fails to find a contract

KARACHI, July 17: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday snubbed former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq by not including him in the players' list for the new central contracts.
While announcing the contracts, the board, however, insisted it had no grudge against Inzamam and he was not considered as he had retired from One-Day Internationals.
"The central contracts have been given to those who can play Test and One-day matches.While the retainers are a sort of encouragement for those knocking on the doors of international cricket after years of good performances at the domestic level," PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said.
In video: Inzamam's career over?
Inzamam, one of Pakistan's leading batsmen who retired from One-dayers and relinquished captaincy after his team's first round shock exit from the World Cup, has said that he still wants to play Tests for his country.
Ashraf said considering Inzamam for Tests would be dependent entirely on his fitness and form.
"He will definitely be considered by the selectors but he has to take care of himself," the PCB chief said.
The new contracts have been awarded to 20 players and the retainers to 20 reserves after the board cancelled the contracts of the players following the disappointing show in the World Cup.
The new contracts have been given out under a new concept in which 40 per cent points will be awarded for performance and remaining 60 for fitness, discipline and seniority.
The board has increased the pay scales in the new contracts besides the match fees given to the players.
Injury prone fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has also been given a central contract in the Grade A although he has played just one Test and four One-dayers in the last 14-months.
Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Abdur Razzaq and Mohammad Asif have been given Grade A contracts which have a monthly remuneration of Rs 250,000.
In Grade B, Salman Butt, Mohammad Sami, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Danish Kaneria and Kamran Akmal will get Rs 150,000.
Imran Nazir, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Faisal Iqbal, Misbah ul Haq and Yasir Arafat have been placed in Grade C which carries a remuneration of Rs 100,000 each.
The monthly retainers for the reserve players are Rs 50,000 each.