Akmal gets Category A contract

Islamabad - The Pakistan Cricket Board has awarded struggling wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal the highest category in player contracts.

Akmal is among seven players named in category A along with ODI and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar.

PCB said in a statement that contracts run until the end of June.

Each of the contracted players will be given a monthly salary of 250,000 rupees ($2,950).

Akmal's wicketkeeping has already cost Pakistan dearly in the World Cup. He dropped New Zealand's Ross Taylor on 0 and 4 before the Kiwi batsman went on to hammer a career-best 131 on Tuesday.

Pakistan lost the game by 110 runs - barely avoiding their worst ever defeat in the World Cup.