Pakistan team leaked! Abdullah Shafique, Usman Khan dropped, including Fakhar Zaman
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is finalizing the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled for February next month in Pakistan and Dubai. One key decision yet to be made is whether to include young starter Saim Ayub, who is currently recovering from a broken ankle.
Pakistan will host the tri-series in February 2025, with South Africa and New Zealand as participating teams. This series will serve as preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy. It is worth mentioning that Pakistan is the only national team that has not yet announced its squad for the prestigious ICC tournament.
Pakistan to announce squad for upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy
According to a Geo Super report, Pakistan’s 2025 Champions Trophy squad is still under final consideration. The inclusion of Saim Ayub, who is recovering from an ankle injury, remains uncertain. If Ayub is deemed fit, the same squad will be used for both the tri-series and the Champions Trophy.
However, if he is unavailable, substitutes are considered. Abdullah Shafique, who has been out of form, and Usman Khan are unlikely to be picked. Fakhar Zaman has confirmed his place in the team, while Imam-ul-Haq and Haseebullah Khan are under consideration to replace the injured Saim Ayub.
Mohammad Rizwan is all set to lead the Men In Green in the 2025 Champions Trophy
The selectors are expected to include key players like Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir and Irfan Khan. The team will rely on a strong pace attack featuring Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain.
Kamran Ghulam, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and young spinner Sufiyan Muqeem could also be included. However, Pakistan remain the only team yet to officially announce their squad for the tournament. Although preliminary names have been submitted to the ICC, the final squad must be confirmed by February 11.
Pakistan will enter the 2025 Champions Trophy as the defending champions
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will feature eight teams divided into two groups. Pakistan are in Group A along with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh, while Group B consists of Afghanistan, South Africa, England and Australia.
The event will run from February 19 to March 9, with matches to be held across three venues in Pakistan and India’s matches in Dubai in a hybrid format. Pakistan will face New Zealand in the first match on February 19 in Karachi. The much-awaited Pakistan vs India clash is scheduled for February 23.
Pakistan will play Bangladesh in the last match of the group stage on February 27 in Rawalpindi. The semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and 5, and the final is for March 9.
The Champions Trophy was last held in 2017 and was hosted by England, where Pakistan won their first title by defeating arch-rivals India by 180 runs in the final clash. The tournament was subsequently discontinued, but was revived four years later in 2021, with the 2025 edition scheduled to be held in Pakistan.
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