The squad, to be captained by Mohammad Rizwan with Salman Ali Agha as vice-captain, includes three members from the 2017 title-winning side
Photo: AFP file
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 15-player squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.
There are four changes in the 15-player squad that last played an ODI series in South Africa late last year. Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.
The squad, to be captained by Mohammad Rizwan with Salman Ali Agha as vice-captain, includes three members from the 2017 title-winning side — Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf and Fakhar Zaman.
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Opener Fakhar Zaman, who scored a century in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final against India, makes a comeback after overcoming injury and illness that had sidelined him from international cricket since June 2024.
Fakhar demonstrated his return to complete fitness and form during the Champions T20 Cup 2024 in December, where he was the third-highest run-scorer with 303 runs at an impressive strike-rate of over 132. In 82 ODIs, Fakhar has scored 3,492 runs with 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries at an average of 46.5 and strike-rate of 93.4.
“The selectors have continued to adopt a horses for courses approach in assembling this squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Our focus has been on selecting players who have consistently excelled in domestic competitions under similar conditions, demonstrating their readiness to perform in a global event,” said national selector Asad Shafiq.
“Fakhar’s opening partner could be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, depending on various factors such as conditions, opposition and match strategy,” added Shafiq.
The same squad will also feature in the tri-nation ODI series, featuring New Zealand and South Africa in Lahore and Karachi, in the lead up to the tournament.
The PCB has until February 11 to make any changes to the squad; thereafter, replacements will only be permitted on medical grounds, subject to approval by the ICC Event Technical Committee.
Following the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Pakistan has played three ODI series, defeating 50-over world champions Australia 2-1, Zimbabwe 2-1 and South Africa 3-0.
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
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