ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Friday that the selection committee is currently evaluating the team lineup for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. While captain Mohammad Rizwan expressed that alterations to the squad are not deemed necessary.
“The selection committee holds the authority to modify the Champions Trophy roster as they deem fit,” Naqvi said.
The PCB chief also shed light on the decision to include Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf in the squad for both the Tri-Nation series and the forthcoming Champions Trophy, which will be hosted on home soil.
“Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf have been selected with the best intentions in mind,” Naqvi remarked.
In a press interaction in Lahore, captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan expressed that alterations to the squad are not deemed necessary.
“There have been no discussions regarding changes to the lineup,” Rizwan commented, asserting that the “finest team has been assembled” for this prestigious tournament.
The captain emphasised that players who have excelled in recent performances were chosen for the 15-member squad, noting that “Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf are in excellent form.”
Rizwan also elaborated on the criteria for selecting the playing XI, mentioning that it would be determined based on prevailing conditions. However, he noted that “the absence of Saim Ayub is disrupting the team’s balance.”
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As preparations and celebrations ramp up for the first ICC event hosted in Pakistan since 1996, excitement is building. The tournament is set to kick off on February 19, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in Karachi. This grand event will showcase eight teams from across the globe vying for the coveted title.
The lineup includes Pakistan, India, Australia, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and New Zealand, with the highly anticipated clash between Pakistan and India scheduled for February 23 in Dubai.
