Pakistan name ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Pakistan have revealed the group tasked with their Champions Trophy title defence.

The proud cricketing nation won the most recent Champions Trophy event in 2017, the last time the tournament was played. On this occasion, Pakistan are hosting this 2025 edition, along with the UAE.

Mohammad Rizwan will lead the team, having done so since Babar Azam stepped down from the role after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023. This is the first 50-over ICC tournament since then. Rising star hitter Saim Ayub is a notable absentee, having sustained an ankle injury in Pakistan’s New Year’s Test in Cape Town, South Africa.

Top-order batter Abdullah Shafique has also missed the cut, paving the way for Babar to secure one of the top-order roles.

Veteran Fakhar Zaman is in the mix, having played a monumental role in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. He scored a maiden ODI ton (114 off 106 deliveries) at The Oval, London, as Pakistan beat India by 180 runs to claim the silverware. Also recalled are Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel.

The same squad will feature in the tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand in the leadup to the Champions Trophy.

Aaqib Javed will continue his role as Interim Coach, stepping in after Gary Kirsten’s departure last October.

Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.