KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 19 to March 9.
As the mega sporting event approaches, teams have started announcing their squads and the Man in Green is expected to have seven batsmen, four fast bowlers, three spinners and a wicketkeeper in his squad.
According to reports, Mohammad Rizwan will be Pakistan’s sole wicketkeeper in the mega event. Usman Khan, who was included as the second wicketkeeper in the squad during the One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa, is unlikely to make it to the squad for the Champions Trophy.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf are likely to be included in the squad for the pace attack while Mohammad Hasnain is also in the field for the fourth fast bowler.
Regarding the spinners, it is expected that former vice-captain and Test all-rounder Shadab Khan will make a strong comeback in the team along with Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqim.
Shadab Khan, who was dropped from the national team after the T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA in June 2024, has not been selected for Pakistan’s tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. However, he was retained under the Pakistan Cricket Board’s central contract for the 2024–25 season in Category C.
After being dropped from the team, Shadab Khan played five matches for the Panthers in the Champions ODI Cup, scoring 120 runs off 192 balls and taking 5 wickets. In the Champions T20 Cup, he played six matches, scored 24 runs and took just 18 balls.
29-year-old left-handed opening batsman Imamul-Haq is also expected to return in the Champions Trophy. Imam has scored 3,138 runs at an average of 48.27 in 72 ODIs for Pakistan. His last 50-over game was against South Africa on 27 October 2023 in the ICC World Cup.
After being dropped, Imam scored 212 runs at an average of 53.00 in four matches in the Champions ODI Cup and in the Champions T20 tournament he scored 256 runs at an average of 36.67 in nine matches for the Lions.
Another big expectation is the return of aggressive opener Fakhar Zaman. The 34-year-old left-handed batsman, who has played 82 ODIs for Pakistan, is subject to fitness requirements as per the central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Fakher was not selected for the tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, but impressed recently in the Champions T20 tournament, scoring 303 runs at 30.30 in 10 matches, including two fifties. were
Thus, the return of Shadab, Imam and Fakhar Zaman to the team for the Champions Trophy seems very likely.