 "Champions Trophy 2025: Fakhar Zaman returns for Pakistan as in-form Saim Ayub misses out due to injury")
Fakhar Zaman is set to return to the One-Day International (ODI) format for the first time since the 2023 World Cup after getting included in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy while batting sensation Saim Ayub misses out after failing to recover from an injury.
Fakhar had smashed a match-winning century in the Men-in-Green’s 180-run mauling of arch-rivals India in the final of the 2017 edition – the last time the ‘Mini World Cup’ had taken place. The 34-year-old opener has not represented Pakistan since their underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign in the US and the Caribbean last year.
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“Zaman’s return is a significant boost for our top-order,” selector Asad Shafiq said in a Pakistan Cricket Board release.
“His aggressive approach and match-winning capabilities are vital to our plans,” he said.
Ayub’s absence from the Champions Trophy squad, however, comes as a massive blow for Pakistan, given he was in red-hot form during the recently-concluded ODI series in South Africa. Ayub scored 235 runs in three matches at an average of 78.33, collecting two centuries in three games as Mohammad Rizwan’s men completed a historic 3-0 whitewash in the Proteas’ own backyard.
Ayub, however, suffered an ankle fracture while fielding during the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town, and has been out of action ever since. Former Pakistan batter Shafiq added that the hosts will greatly miss Ayub’s presence in the Champions Trophy, given his recent form.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“We recognise how devastating it must be for Ayub to miss a global event, especially when he is in such exceptional batting form but his recovery is important,” Shafiq added.
Also returning to the side is all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, whose last appearance for Pakistan came in the Perth Test against Australia in December 2023, while Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel have also been included. The selectors, however, have dropped Abdullah Shafique after the struggling top-order batter was dismissed for a duck in each of the three ODIs against South Africa.
Pakistan have also retained the trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf in their pace department along with Mohammad Hasnain, with Abrar Ahmed getting picked as the lone front-line spinner.
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Hosts and defending champions Pakistan were the only team left when it came to announcing the squad for the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, which return after an eight-year absence. England, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Afghanistan had unveiled their provisional squads by the 12 January deadline set by the ICC while Australia and South Africa did so a day after on 13 January.
Two-time champions India would announce their Champions Trophy squad on 18 January, six days after the deadline.
The squad for the Champions Trophy will also participate in the home triangular ODI series involving South Africa and New Zealand ahead of the mega event.
Pakistan face New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi on 19 February before traveling to Dubai, which will be hosting all of India’s matches, to face the Men in Blue four days later. Their final group fixture against Bangladesh will be taking place in Rawalpindi on 27 February.
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Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed
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