Champions Trophy: Key players return as Pakistan announce squad for showpiece event

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday the much-awaited squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 and the tri-nation series, featuring Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa.

According to a statement issued by the cricket board, 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Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.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.

Champions Trophy: Key players return as Pakistan announce squad for showpiece event
Babar and Fakhar, along with Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Saud Shakeel had also featured in the last 50-over ICC event — the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2023.

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.

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.

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Pakistan Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel has been rewarded for his consistent and strong performances in home Tests by earning a place in the side. The left-hander played his 15th and last ODI against England in Kolkata in the ICC Men’s 50-over World Cup 2023 but has scored 577 runs in 13 Test innings at home this season with two centuries and two half-centuries against Bangladesh, England and the West Indies

All-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah return to the 50-over squad, adding versatility and providing captain Mohammad Rizwan with additional options.

Faheem’s 34th and last ODI was in September 2023 and since then he has been one of the most consistent domestic performers across all formats, while Khushdil last represented Pakistan in ODIs in August 2022 and has earned the selectors nod after scoring 176 runs in the Champions One-Day Cup as well as scoring 132 runs and taking nine wickets in the Champions T20 Cup.

The PCB has until 11 February 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.

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 ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The series will kick off on February 8, with Pakistan facing New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium.

After the tri-series, the Champions Trophy 2025 will kick off on February 19 and will run until March 9.

Matches will be held across three venues in Pakistan — Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi — and in Dubai, featuring 15 thrilling encounters between the eight participating teams.

Pakistan squad:

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Schedule:

19 February: Pakistan v New Zealand, Karachi, Pakistan

20 February: Bangladesh v India, Dubai

21 February: Afghanistan v South Africa, Karachi, Pakistan

22 February: Australia v England, Lahore, Pakistan

23 February: Pakistan v India, Dubai

24 February: Bangladesh v New Zealand, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

25 February: Australia v South Africa, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

26 February: Afghanistan v England, Lahore, Pakistan

27 February: Pakistan v Bangladesh, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

28 February: Afghanistan v Australia, Lahore, Pakistan

1 March: South Africa v England, Karachi, Pakistan

2 March: New Zealand v India, Dubai

4 March: Semi-final 1, Dubai

5 March: Semi-final 2, Lahore, Pakistan

9 March: Final, Lahore (unless India qualify, else it will be played in Dubai)

10 March: Reserve day

*All matches will be day-night encounters