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[PICTURE/VIDEO] ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan announce 15-member squad

Are you satisfied with the selection of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad for Pakistan?

  • Total voters
    52
Pakistan have a habit of changing the original squad named before the actual tournament starts. I seem to remember it happened in the T20 Word Cup at the UAE a few years back.

There will be changes to the named squad with a couple dropping out like Usman and Tayab. Sufiyan and Iman will come in I think.
 
Pakistan should bring in another spinner. We need at least 2 spinner specialist ones in the team.
 
Salman Ali Agha during media interaction at LCCA Ground:

Adapting to home conditions:

"We have to go and manage the conditions ourselves and adjust accordingly. These are conditions we have all played in since childhood, so we have an idea of what to expect, what challenges may arise, and how to prepare for them. Our ODI team has performed well in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and since we are familiar with the conditions here, we will try to carry that momentum forward and perform even better."

Missing Saim Ayub:

"Saim was in great form, and given his talent and the performances he was delivering for Pakistan, we will obviously miss him. But we also have Khushdil now, so that balances things out. While Saim's role in batting was different since he played lower down the order, in bowling, I believe Khushdil and I can take on the role that Saim and I were fulfilling together. Still, given Saim’s form and talent, we will certainly miss him."

Team combination and new players:

"Four to five players haven't come in all at once. If you look at it, our combination is almost the same. The core eleven remains largely unchanged, so I don’t think we’ll face much of an issue in maintaining our combination."

Playing an ICC event in Pakistan:

"I don’t think there’s any pressure. Everyone is excited. Personally, I was very young and don’t even remember much about the 1996 World Cup in Pakistan. For me and many others, this is the first time we are experiencing an ICC tournament being played in Pakistan. Ever since I started watching cricket, I haven’t seen such an event here. So, more than pressure, we are excited. Playing in front of our home crowd gives a different kind of confidence—it’s like having a 12th player on the field with us. So, yes, we are all looking forward to it."

Dual role as batter and bowler:

"I have been doing this dual role for a long time. Even in domestic cricket, whether in ODIs, white-ball, Test, or four-day cricket, I have played both as a bowler and a batter. So, it’s not extra pressure for me. In fact, I find it exciting and am looking forward to it. I will try to continue performing as I have in white-ball and ODI cricket."
 
Mohsin Naqvi during a media interaction:

“We have included Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf in the squad with good intentions.”

“The team selected for the Champions Trophy consists of the best available players, and the key to good performance is mental fitness.”

“Team selection is done based on performance, and once the squad is chosen, the players should be fully supported. Criticism and unnecessary changes only create pressure on the players.”

“The players have the talent to make it to the top four teams of the Champions Trophy.”
 
Mercurial said:
I would have preferred Shadab over Abrar as he can bat and field well and is a better bowler. I don’t know why they ignored Shadab? And either Imam or Sahibzada Farhan should have been there too in place of Usman Khan as both can keep wickets. I would have preferred Hasan Ali over Hasnain. Overall not a bad squad looking at the options in domestic cricket but I think this team is going to miss a good spinner. Shadab will be missed. Abrar is just not good enough.
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Is this rage bait?🤣
 
So 1 game gone possibly 4 left, not good vibes from 1st game.

Bowling lacks venom

Babar is out of position and out of form

Rizwan batting is regressing significantly

Middle order is very weak

Bogus allrounders are a slap to domestic cricket
 
Need saud or imam to open
Tayyab and khushdil doesnt look like 6 and 7 bats as of now
 
Babar Azam - most important player in Pakistan squad? My foot. If anyone ever claims this kinda stuff, i will judge their whole cricketing knowledge credibility.
 
Our own fans are using comments from right wing Indians to bash our team.

How shameful.
 
We actually lost our most important player Saim Ayub which is why our winning chances have fallen down massively. We only have one match winner in our team in Fakhar, or maybe Shaheen at times - rest of them are bunch of jobbers or pro stat padders (at which they are struggling as well now).
 
What was that review by Rizwan? The arrogance to just review straight away? Who does he think he is?
 
Still don't like Babar opening. It's ridiculous.

Also, Khushdil's bowling is terrible.
 
Kianig89 said:
Babar is out of position
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A player that has opened in T20’s for most of his career and still does in franchise leagues should not be considered as batting out of position when opening in ODI’s.

The way he plays in T20’s as an opener should be no different to how he plays as an opener in ODI’s.
 
YousafTheBeast said:
A player that has opened in T20’s for most of his career and still does in franchise leagues should not be considered as batting out of position when opening in ODI’s.

The way he plays in T20’s as an opener should be no different to how he plays as an opener in ODI’s.
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Yeah according to these fans Babar opening in ODIs is out of position but it’s 100% his position in T20s

Choochey cricket fans!
 
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YousafTheBeast said:
A player that has opened in T20’s for most of his career and still does in franchise leagues should not be considered as batting out of position when opening in ODI’s.

The way he plays in T20’s as an opener should be no different to how he plays as an opener in ODI’s.
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In my eyes, opening in T20s is a different game.

There's no set accumulation phase in 20-over cricket (beyond a few overs). Babar's game is an accumulator suited for #3 in ODIs and that's where you get the most out of him.

To be fair, recently he hasn't even been a good T20 opener. You go through his numbers and he averages in the 20s as a T20 opener and almost 40 as a #3.

Can he open in ODIs? Sure.

Can he do it as well as he bats at #3? I don't see it and that's scary for an already wobbly ODI lineup.
 
Flat_Track_Bully said:
Why was he selected? We established a long time back that he is not international level. Might as well have picked Asif Ali. Bizarre selections. Batting cupboard is bare.
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Yes, his selection was a surprised one to say to least but then we didn't have a lot of options and we didn't create backup players. Hence, we keep on getting back to the likes of Khushdil, Asif, Shadab, Faheem etc.
 
Flat_Track_Bully said:
Why was he selected? We established a long time back that he is not international level. Might as well have picked Asif Ali. Bizarre selections. Batting cupboard is bare.
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Looks like they were stuck on the player type after Saim's injury, Irfan Khan's struggles, and Nawaz/Shadab/Ifti being below par.

They must have wanted an all-in-one player and ended up with nothing.

Like you said, desiring a spin all-rounder that can hit is fine as long as he's international quality. Who doesn't want a prime Shahid Afridi? But Khushdil doesn't deserve his spot. Either they should have just added a specialist or looked at the best all-rounder they could find (Abbas Afridi, Jahandad, etc.).

Guys like Khushdil and Faheem are pointless cause they do nothing well. They might come off here and there through luck but can't be consistent over an entire tournament.
 
Am not sure tayyab quality. Guy looked like he can get out against any decent bowler at any time.
 
One hopes that the Pakistan think tank will go into full panic mode after yesterday's defeat and change the squad before the Champions Trophy starts. If the pitches are the same, you can have this 11 start the tournament if they are sensible:

1. Fakhar
2. Iman or Shan
3. Barbar
4. Rizwan (c & w)
5. Salman Ali Agha
6. Mohammed Ifran Niazi
7. Amir Jamal or Faheem
8. Noman Ali
9. Shaheen Afridi
10. Naseem Shah or Haris (if fit)
11. Abrar

That is a balanced team. Salman can be the sixth bowling option. The rest are genuine bowlers. Get rid of Kushdil, he is mediocre in batting and his bowling will get caned.

But I think ego and pride of the Pakistan selectors will stop any major changes and blame our early exit on the injury to Saim.
 
"You cannot build teams like this."

Azhar Mahmood calls for moving on from the past all-rounders like him and Abdul Razzaq and giving the young ones time to prosper.

WjpClgB.jpg
 
While addressing the media in the mixed zone, Azhar Mahmood:

"This is the best available squad that has been selected."

"Babar has been scoring runs, so there is no need to worry about his form."
 
It's funny that Azhar did not mention about what performance of Faheem he's referring to.

'Faheem has performed too' - what does that mean? It only reeks of being a political gimmick, nothing else.
 
FearlessRoar said:
While addressing the media in the mixed zone, Azhar Mahmood:

"This is the best available squad that has been selected."

"Babar has been scoring runs, so there is no need to worry about his form."
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We will hear the same about Babar for next 5 years. This CT is another opportunity for him to prove his worth, let's see how he will perform in this CT
 
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali, while speaking on his YouTube channel:

“Had the team won the tri-nation series, it would have boosted their confidence and lifted the spirits of every player. But the question is, who advised Babar Azam to open the innings? I’m honestly shocked who are these people? What a bizarre decision.”

“He was doing well at number three, consistently scoring 50-70 runs against South Africa, but they took him out of that position as well. Now, he’s only managed 62 runs in three matches in the tri-series. This is the approach, this is the mindset. They talk about how even Sachin opened the innings and scored a century in Sri Lanka, but here they’ve removed Babar from his successful position at No. 3, completely ruining his rhythm.”

“Everyone keeps discussing India’s match, but we should have focused on New Zealand first. Will our team be ready for them? Will the pitch be similar? Can Salman Agha bowl 10 overs? Are we going to include Khushdil Shah? Rizwan was clearly upset with Faheem Ashraf’s inclusion—he didn’t give him the ball after just two overs and only brought him back when the game was already out of reach.”
 
The squad is pretty poor to select a decent team from. From the last team they just need to remove Khushdil who looks so afraid to bat and his bowling is nothing special or much effective and just replace him with Kamran G. Faheem has to be replaced by Haris if he is fully fit, if not Faheem has to have another go, Rizwan did not bowl him properly to test him at all. Batting wise he will not waste balls like Khushdil, score his usual 10 - 15 runs.
 
Shadab Khan Urges Nation To Support The Team

“This is the squad that has been selected, and as a nation, we must back them. I have received questions about why I am not in the team, and my answer is simple—the players in this squad have worked hard to earn their place. Personally, I am working tirelessly on all aspects of my game, especially my bowling. This season, I have prioritized longer formats, and I believe that if I keep putting in the hard work and trusting the process, things will only get better.”

“Right now, our focus should be on rallying behind the team. This is the first major ICC tournament in Pakistan since 1996, and it’s our chance to show the world just how passionate we are about cricket and how much we love our team. Let’s become the 12th man, back our boys, and give them the support they need. Trust me, as players, when we feel the love and support from the fans, it lifts our game—we want to repay that trust.”

“I hope we can lift the Champions Trophy in the incredible new Lahore stadium. Let’s stand together and back our team.”

— Shadab Khan, Captain Islamabad United
 
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, while speaking on his YouTube channel:

“They are primarily an ODI team.”

Their strengths are in limited-overs cricket, not in Tests. In Test matches, they depend heavily on spinners and are more successful on home turf. While their fast bowling is decent, their batting lineup isn’t really suited for T20s or Tests.”

“When I look at their overall team, they clearly excel in ODIs. Whether it’s Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, or Mohammad Rizwan, their best performances come in 50-over cricket.”

“They are incredibly familiar with the conditions, which gives them a huge advantage. In Dubai, for example, they know the conditions better than anyone else. They’ve also recently played a tri-nation series at home.”

“Pakistan’s recent form has been excellent. They’ve won their last three ODI series, including away victories against South Africa and Australia. So, their recent results are impressive, and playing at home only strengthens their position.”
 
While talking in a podcast, former Australian skipper Michael Clarke:

“My fear with Pakistan is whether they can handle the pressure. This has always been a concern when playing against them. I've seen them have a better team on multiple occasions, but they have struggled under pressure. It will be interesting to see how they cope with expectations, especially while playing a major tournament at home.”
 
FearlessRoar said:
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, while speaking on his YouTube channel:

“They are primarily an ODI team.”

Their strengths are in limited-overs cricket, not in Tests. In Test matches, they depend heavily on spinners and are more successful on home turf. While their fast bowling is decent, their batting lineup isn’t really suited for T20s or Tests.”

“When I look at their overall team, they clearly excel in ODIs. Whether it’s Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, or Mohammad Rizwan, their best performances come in 50-over cricket.”

“They are incredibly familiar with the conditions, which gives them a huge advantage. In Dubai, for example, they know the conditions better than anyone else. They’ve also recently played a tri-nation series at home.”

“Pakistan’s recent form has been excellent. They’ve won their last three ODI series, including away victories against South Africa and Australia. So, their recent results are impressive, and playing at home only strengthens their position.”
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I agree that currently ODI is Pakistan's strongest suit.
 
Mohammad Amir and Ahmed Shehzad criticize Pakistan's squad selection for the Champions Trophy during a show on a local media outlet:

Mohammad Amir: "Some players could have been included—for example, the missing part I see is the spinners. Everyone, even the public, is talking about it. If you look at the tri-nation series, New Zealand won matches because of their spinners. So, there could be a need for them, especially in Dubai, because the wickets will be used ones. The ILT20 was played entirely on those wickets, so you never know."

"Considering the dry conditions there, spinners might be needed. I feel Usama Mir could have been an option. And if you were bringing in Khushdil Shah, then I think if Usama wasn't in your plan, you could have kept Shadab Khan instead. He could have provided batting depth as well. When the ball is turning, and you have a full-fledged fielder, then if this was the plan, you could have gone with Shadab. Otherwise, a genuine spinner like Usama could have been a better choice."

Ahmed Shehzad: "Good boards start building their teams in advance. But the players you had been fielding earlier—the young stars—you didn’t utilize them properly. Take Irfan Khan Niazi, for example; he didn’t get to bowl. Tayyab Tahir is part of the squad, but he didn’t get to bowl either. Faisal Akram was dropped. Usama Mir was sidelined by creating controversy around him. Sufiyan Muqeem came in, and you threw him against David Miller, where he got hit for three sixes."

"All these decisions—players you were developing—suddenly, you had a realization: 'No, no, this is the ICC Champions Trophy; we need to change everything! What should we do? Let’s see where cricket is being played around the world. Oh, the BPL is happening. Who is performing there? This player? That player? Bring them all in!' So, under the ODI format, you have basically imported players."

"You should also consider fitness—you’re bringing players from the T20 format to ODIs. How much strain will that put on their fitness, and are they fit enough for this transition? Then, in selection, you're one spinner short, while other teams are going with three spinners. As for Usama Mir, I agree that he should have been included."
"Then you're one opener short, and you're forcing Babar Azam to open—does he even agree to this? He dominates in ODIs, and the way he has consistently performed in ODIs, very few Pakistan players have matched that. But staying consistent in ODIs is very difficult; playing 50 overs tires you out. Fielding for 50 overs, then scoring a century, then fielding again for 50 overs and scoring 70 runs—that's all to Babar's credit."
"Right now, he’s not in the form where you should be putting extra pressure on him. He has been playing in the same position for the last 10 years, and now you're asking him to leave that and open? If Babar had been performing for the last 3–4 months, then you could have put this extra pressure on him."
 
Ravi Ashwin, while speaking on his YouTube channel:

“I am glad Fakhar Zaman is back. As their team is setting up, it seems that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman will open and Saud Shakeel and Rizwan will play at three and four. And Tayyab Tahir will be the one to watch out in the middle-order. Their approach has been different than India to have more pacers in the team and let’s see what happens next.”

“Shaheen Shah Afridi. What can he do? Can Abrar Ahmed be the answer to what Pakistan has been looking to? All these things will contribute to where Pakistan will finish in the Champions Trophy.”
 
BouncerGuy said:
Surely Imam should be the number 1 contender.
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Sorry not another accumulator we need to get someone in who can play some attacking cricket need to look beyond ttfs now new blood is needed even if it's someone for example hassan nawaz going back to ttfs is not working and we are not learning new players bring hope and energy to the field ttfs are only interested in their own performance to save their neck not interested in team performance.
 
Shahid Afridi, while speaking on a show on a local media outlet:

“We are going only with one specialist spinner, which is a mistake. Pakistan should include Sajid Khan in to a 15-member squad.”

“Our self-belief system help us clinch a win against India. Pakistan will have to win the match against India to leave all of us silent,”
 
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