LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This squad will also participate in a tri-nation ODI series against New Zealand and South Africa. Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Saud Shakeel, and Faheem Ashraf have made their return to the team. Fakhar Zaman’s opening partner could either be Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel.
Changes in Squad for ICC Champions Trophy
Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel replaced Abdullah Shafiq, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sufiyan Maqeem. The squad includes batters Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, and Tayyab Tahir. All-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, and Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain) are also part of the team. Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Usman Khan, and spinner Abrar Ahmed complete the lineup.
Fast Bowlers in the Squad
The fast bowling department includes Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. The squad has made four changes from the previous series against South Africa last year. This team will also play in the tri-series before the Champions Trophy. The series will take place in Karachi and Lahore, with New Zealand and South Africa as the other teams.
Preparations for Champions Trophy and Tri-Series
The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9. The PCB has until February 11 to make any changes to the squad. After that, changes will only be allowed for medical reasons, with approval from the ICC Technical Committee. Selector Asad Shafiq said that they have selected players with excellent performances in home conditions.
Support Staff for the Team
The support staff includes Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Hina Manwar (team operations manager), and Aqib Javed (interim head coach). The rest of the support staff includes Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Shahid Aslam (batting coach), Mohammad Masroor (fielding coach), and Abdul Rahman (spin bowling coach).
Upcoming Matches for Pakistan Team
Pakistan’s first Champions Trophy match will be against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi. The tri-series will begin on February 8 in Lahore with Pakistan facing New Zealand. The national team will start their preparations on February 4.
