On 31 January, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Announces its strong squad of 15 players for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 set to begin in Pakistan from 19 February to 9 March. Some players from the last ODI series who played against South Africa last year are replaced by other players. Four Players are replaced Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel are put in the place of Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sufyan Moqim. The PCB has the authority to make changes in his squad before 11 February after that changing of players is not permitted and the ICC Event Technical Committee will only approve the changes of players in the situation on medical grounds.
PCB Statement
PCB said in a Press Release that the same squad will play a Tri-Nation ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand at Karachi and Lahore stadiums before the ICC event. Asad Shafiq, a member of the National Selection Committee, said it is a great opportunity for Pakistan to give final touch-ups before playing the Champions Trophy 2025 at Home. Muhammad Rizwan (C) is leading The squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with Vice-Captain Salman Ali Agha.
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Pakistan Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The Squad of 15 players participating in ICC events is:
Batters: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, and Tayyab Tahir are participating.
All-rounders: Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain)
Wicketkeeper-batters: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), and Usman Khan will participate in the squad.
Spinner: Abrar Ahmed is participating.
Fast Bowlers: This team includes fast bowlers Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Star Performers
Babar Azam is an experienced Pakistani batter. His technique and ability to strike the rotation are exceptional. In the last 20 ODI matches, he has scored more than 10 centuries and is ranked among the top 10 batters worldwide. Shaheen Shah Afridi, a Pakistan squad star pacer, took over 50 wickets in his last 10 ODI matches. Fans are eager to watch their exceptional skills in the upcoming ICC tournament. Babar Azam said that he is feeling confident about his batting and is looking forward to the tri-series and Champions Trophy 2025.
Selection of Players
Asad Shafiq said they are selecting domestically performing players who can also perform in global events. Three players from the current squad, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, and Fakhar Zaman, won the 2017 title. The opening pair could be Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel and it could be changed according to the current situations of matches and teams. Abrar Ahmed will lead the Spin attack and will be supported by Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha who offer slow bowling. In addition, Faheem Ashraf offers fast bowling and he is an all-rounder. The return of Fakhar Zaman is a boost for Pakistan’s squad top-order. His way of batting is aggressive and match-winning capabilities are vital for the Pak Team.
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Saim will not participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 because of an ankle injury during a match. PCB is optimistic about his recovery from the injury. It is destructive for Saim to miss the global event of ICC when he is performing well in his batting. Saim is a Valuable asset to the Pakistan team as a young player he marked his name by his performance in the team.
Tournament Schedule
PCB has released the dates of the upcoming ODI series:
- 8 February – Pak vs New Zealand, Lahore (tri-nation ODI series)
- 12 February – Pak vs South Africa, Karachi (tri-nation ODI series)
- 19 February – Pak vs New Zealand, Karachi (ICC Champions Trophy 2025)
- 23 February – Pak vs India, Dubai (ICC Champions Trophy 2025)
- 27 February – Pak vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi (ICC Champions Trophy 2025)
On Monday, 3rd Feb The Pakistan ODI squad will assemble in Lahore.
