Pakistan Announces Champions Trophy 2025 Squad: After a long delay, the PCB has finally announced Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on January 31, Saturday. The same squad will feature in the tri-series at home against South Africa and New Zealand before the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan Announces Champions Trophy 2025 Squad
A big talking point is the return of Fakhar Zaman, who had been sidelined from international cricket due to injury and illness since the 2024 T20 World Cup last June, and his ODI outing was during the World Cup 2023. Zaman comes in the squad while young opener Saim Ayub missed out due to an ankle injury.
Interestingly, Fakhar’s opening partner would be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, said Asad Shafiq, a member of the selection committee.
Since their league stage exit, Pakistan have played three ODI series and won all three of them—against Australia by 2-1, against Zimbabwe by 2-1, and against South Africa 3-0. The ODI side has looked stronger under new skipper Mohammad Rizwan. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been named Rizwan’s deputy.
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A couple of interesting picks in the squad are emerging players Tayyab Tahir and Kamran Ghulam, while the inexperienced four-ODI-old Abrar Ahmed is the only front-line spin option Pakistan has chosen. He will have Salman and Khushdil. Usman Khan is the backup wicketkeeper.
The four-man pace attack is as expected. Shaheen Afridi is the leader of the pace attack, with Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah as his bowling partners, while Mohammad Hasnain is the fourth pacer in the squad.
Pakistan will play the tournament opener against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi before flying to Dubai, where they will take on India on February 23. Their last group match will be on February 27 against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan are the defending champions of the ICC Champions Trophy, having won the previous edition, in 2017, by defeating India in the final.
Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Squad
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (C,Wk), Usman Khan (Wk), Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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