Pakistan Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Fakhar Zaman was appointed to the Pakistani team for the Champions Trophy, marking his return after he fell with the PCB on an article on social networks in October 2024. In a team that PCB called “Horses Forces” , Faheem Ashraf, who lastly played international cricket in 2023 was also called. Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel are also included. The same team will also face the ODI tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand in the construction of the Champions Trophy.

The team confirms what was widely feared in Pakistan: Saim Ayub remains unavailable due to the ankle fracture he suffered during the CAP test. At the time, it was announced that it would be absent for six weeks, but it was thought that his chances of recovering in time for the champions trophy were exceptionally thin. Earlier in the day, the president of the PCB, Mohin Naqvi, confirmed that the return of Ayub remained “at four weeks”.

The loss of form of Abdullah Shafic cost him a place in the team. In the ODI series recently completed against South Africa, which Pakistan won 3-0, he became the first player to be rejected for a duck in each match in a series. This means that Pakistan will enter a completely different opening pairing, with Fakhar likely to associate with Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, the PCB citing the opening of Babar’s success in test cricket as a potential factor to consider.

“Fakhar’s opening partner could be Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, according to various factors such as conditions, opposition and match strategy,” said a declaration by Asad Shafiq, member of the selection committee. “The two players are very capable at the top of the order, Babar being particularly seasoned in the role, regularly opening T20is and also excelling in the Cape Test by marking two half-century in the absence of Saim Ayub.”

The team also retains its heavy element of the rhythm that saw Pakistan wining three successive odd series towards the end of last year. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain are all among the last 15, with a single spinner specializing in Abrar Ahmed. Neither Sufiyan Muqeem, who took four counters during the beginnings in the only Odi he played, nor Shadab Khan, who directed his side to the glory of the Champions Cup in September, did the final cup.

“One of the remarkable qualities on this side is its flexibility – an essential feature in modern cricket today”, Asad Shafiq, member of the selection committee. “We are convinced that this team establishes the good balance between youth and experience, and has all the bases covered. Each player has been chosen with a clear role in mind, ensuring that the captain has versatile options at his arrangement.”

Irfan Khan, who was watched by the selection committee as a key component of the intermediate order of Pakistan and celebrated for its alignment, also abandons. Faheem’s return rehearsals the back of the limited ODI cricket, having had an indifferent champions cup in September. Strong projections with the bat in the president’s cup in October, however, seem to have played a role to win what seemed an improbable reminder.

Pakistan’s first match in the Champions Trophy is addressed to New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, after which they go to Dubai to play against India. They play their last group match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.

Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (Capt, WK), Khushdil Shah, Saliman Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf,

Pakistan Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

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