Pakistan submitted an initial squad of over 20 players for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to kick off on 19 February with Pakistan, the host and defending champions, taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi.
According to reports, the PCB selection committee submitted the initial squad to the ICC two days ago, with opener Saim Ayub’s name also included in the list.
Ayub got injured during second Test match against South Africa in Cape Town and is currently in London for treatment.
The initial squad includes captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan Niazi, Sufyan Maqeem, Mohammad Hasnain, Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Usman Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Hasibullah, and Abbas Afridi.
The final squad for the Champions Trophy is expected to be announced on February 10.
There will be several changes in the final squad, and the inclusion of openers Abdullah Shafique and Usman Khan seems unlikely.
