Explosive opener Fakhar Zaman and all-rounder Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf returned as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday evening announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place in Pakistan from 19 February to 9 March.
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 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.
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 Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.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. 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.
Pakistan’s 15-player squad:
Batters: Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir.
All-rounders: Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain).
Wicketkeeper-batters: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Usman Khan.
Spinner: Abrar Ahmed.
Fast bowlers: Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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.
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.
Selector Asad Shafiq said, “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.
“One of the standout qualities of this side is its flexibility – an essential trait in today’s modern-day cricket. We are confident that this squad strikes the right balance between youth and experience, and has all bases covered. Each player has been chosen with a clear role in mind, ensuring the captain has versatile options at his disposal.
“The inclusion of emerging players like mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle-order batters Kamran Ghulam and Tayyab Tahir reflects our confidence in their ability to translate domestic success into international impact. These players have shown the temperament and skill to thrive in challenging environments and have a deep understanding of home conditions.
“Abrar Ahmed will lead the spin attack, supported by Khushdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha, who offer reliable slow-bowling options, while Faheem Ashraf’s experience and presence gives us a fast-bowling all-rounder’s option.
“Fakhar Zaman’s return is a significant boost for our top-order. His aggressive approach and match-winning capabilities are vital to our plans.
“Likewise, Saud Shakeel has been drafted to further bolster the batting and capitalise on his rich vein of form in Test cricket, particularly in home conditions. Moreover, he is an experienced, intelligent and calculated batter who constructs his innings thoughtfully and excels at building partnerships.
“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.
“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.