Pakistan name squad for Champions Trophy: Babar Azam poised for new role; Fakhar Zaman returns, no Saim Ayub
Pakistan have finally announced their squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy. Fakhar Zaman returns while Babar Azam is set for a new role.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday named the 15-member squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy, which will be played in Pakistan and the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the side, with Salman Ali Agha acting as his deputy. The hosts of the Champions Trophy have named four pacers in the squad: Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, and Naseem Shah.
Pakistan's spin attack will be led by Abrar Ahmed. Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf and Fakhar Zaman are the only members of the side that won the title at The Oval in 2017.
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 PCB have made four changes in the 15-player squad that last played an ODI series in South Africa. Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.
Opener Fakhar Zaman, who scored a century in the Champions Trophy 2017 final against India, has made a comeback into the squad after overcoming injury and illness that had sidelined him from international cricket since June 2024.
Earlier, Fakhar was also criticised by PCB after he made a social media post supporting Babar Azam after the latter was dropped from the Pakistan squad for the last two Tests against England.
'Babar might open in Champions Trophy'
Asad Shafiq, a member of the National Selection Committee, has revealed that Babar Azam might open the batting for Pakistan alongside Fakhar Zaman.
“Fakhar’s opening partner could be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, depending on various factors such as conditions, opposition and match strategy. Both players are highly capable at the top of the order, with Babar being particularly seasoned in the role, regularly opening in T20Is and also excelling in the Cape Town Test by scoring two half-centuries in Saim Ayub’s absence," said Asad Shafiq in an official release.
Saim Ayub, who sustained an injury during the Cape Town Test against Pakistan, has been ruled out of the upcoming Champions Trophy as he is yet to fully recover.
“Saim Ayub has not been included in the squad due to an ankle injury, but we remain optimistic about his recovery. We understand how much he was looking forward to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and recognise how devastating it must be for him to miss a global event, especially when he is in such exceptional batting form. However, as a valuable asset to our team, we are committed to prioritising his long-term health over making any rushed decisions," said Asad Shafiq.
Pakistan will open their Champions Trophy campaign on February 19 against New Zealand in Karachi. The marquee Pakistan vs India clash will be played in Dubai on February 23.
Pakistan squad for the Champions Trophy: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan ©, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain.
