PCB Submits Preliminary Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The final squad is expected to be announced by February 10, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has submitted a preliminary list of over 20 players to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The squad includes key players such as captain Muhammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, and Irfan Khan Niazi, along with fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abbas Afridi. Spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqim are also part of the initial list.
Other notable names in the preliminary squad include Abdullah Shafiq, Naseem Shah, Usman Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Hasibullah. Promising young batter Saim Ayub, whose fitness remains under scrutiny, has also been included.
The final squad is expected to be announced by February 10, 2025, following the conclusion of the tri-series against South Africa. Although the preliminary list mirrors the squad for the South Africa series, insiders suggest that several changes may be made before the final announcement, with players like Abdullah Shafiq and Usman Khan reportedly unlikely to make the cut.
Read more: ICC delegation visits Gaddafi Stadium ahead of Champions Trophy
As per ICC regulations, all participating teams must submit their preliminary squads a month before the tournament, which will begin on February 12, 2025.
