LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board has awarded contracts to 18 players, including three cricketers last week heavily fined for indiscipline.

All-rounder Shahid Afridi, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and his brother Umar Akmal were fined by the PCB for indiscipline during the series against Australia, but were included in top two tiers of centrally contracted players announced by the PCB on Friday.

The board has refused to award central contracts to four senior players including Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammed Yousuf and Younus Khan.

The contracts would be effective for one year starting from January 1, 2010. In addition to the usual A, B and C categories a special stipend category is introduced which has been offered to top performers of domestic season and budding under-19 and other players.

A Category: Umar Gul, Salman Butt, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Asif, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal.

B Category:Umar Akmal, Mohammad Aamir, Saeed Ajmal, Faisal Iqbal, Misbahul Haq, Imran Farhat.

C Category: Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Rehman

The one-year contracts run from Jan.1-Dec.31, 2010, the PCB said.

Nineteen players who performed well in domestic cricket and at the Under-19 World Cup will also be offered payments.

Tags: Contracted Players, PCB Names 18