 "Champions Trophy 2025: With Saim Ayub likely out, a look at Pakistan's possible squad")
Pakistan remain the only team yet to announce their squad for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which is less than a month away. The major reason behind their delay in announcing the 15-member squad for the eight-team tournament is due to opener Saim Ayub’s injury.
Ayub had sustained an ankle injury while he was fielding during the second Test against South Africa earlier in January. Initially, Ayub was advised to rest for six weeks but he later visited doctors in London, hoping to be match-fit ahead of the marquee Champions Trophy game against India on 23 February.
However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has said that Ayub cannot be risked and that his long-term cricketing career is important.
“Due to the Champions Trophy, we cannot risk Saim Ayub’s career,” Naqvi said during a press conference. “The plaster on Saim Ayub’s foot will be removed in a day or two, and he is undergoing rehab,” he added. This all but confirms that Ayub is virtually ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which starts on 19 February.
What can be Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad without Saim Ayub?
Saim Ayub potentially missing the Champions Trophy due to injury will be a significant blow for Pakistan. He had recently scored two centuries in a recent ODI series against South Africa in the Rainbow Nation. According to news agency PTI, Fakhar Zaman will likely replace Saim in the Men in Green’s squad. However, Fakhar, who scored a century against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, last played an ODI in December 2023 and has been out of favour ever since.
Pakistan’s concerns do not end there. Opener Abdullah Shafique has been inconsistent recently and endured three consecutive ducks in the ODI series against South Africa. The same PTI report says that Shafique’s replacements are being considered for the Champions Trophy and a couple of names include Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq.
Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif was also concerned regarding Saim’s injury and Shafique’s inconsistency. “I am worried about Saim Ayub’s injury, and with Abdullah Shafique also out of form, we are left in a bit of a dilemma,” he told Dawn.
“While all of these players are talented, finding the right combination could be a challenge,” he added. He believes that the Pakistan selectors are considering Shan Masood and Fakhar Zaman as openers for the eight-team tournament. “I am unsure what the selectors are thinking, but perhaps they will opt for Fakhar and Shan Masood as the opening pair. We’ll have to wait and see,” he commented.
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View All‘Salman Ali Agha is a valuable asset’
Pakistan have a potent spin bowling attack that consists the likes of Abrar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha, who is the senior-most among current spinners with 30 ODIs to his name. The 56-year-old Latif believes that Agha will be a valuable asset. “We have quality spinners like mystery bowlers Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Faisal Akram. Additionally, Salman Ali Agha is a valuable asset,” he stated.
Pakistan are in Group A for the 2025 Champions Trophy and will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on 19 February, before taking on India in Dubai four days later. Pakistan will conclude their group stage with a match against Bangladesh on 27 February in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan’s likely squad for Champions Trophy 2025: Mohammad Rizwan (Captain), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood/Imam-ul-Haq, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Khan, Sufyan Muqeem, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Faisal Akram,
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