Pakistan players in action [Source: @SalmanAsif2007/X]
On Friday evening, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a robust 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. While swashbuckling batter Fakhar Zaman received a recall, the likes of Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan and Khushdil Shah made surprise entries into the team.
Pakistan will host the ICC Champions Trophy, set to be conducted from February 19 to March 9. As the Men in Green have finalised their squad, let's analyse and find out their strongest playing combination for the marquee event.
Why Should Babar Azam Open With Fakhar Zaman In Saim Ayub's Absence?
Pakistan's in-form opener Saim Ayub missed out on selection after failing to recover from an ankle injury he sustained during the second Test against South Africa. In his absence, Pakistan have three prominent top-order batters- Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Usman Khan- who can open the batting for them.
Usman Khan has some evident technical flaws and hasn't played a single ODI for Pakistan. So, it could be a dicey call if Pakistan allots him the opening slot straightaway in the Champions Trophy.
On the other hand, Babar Azam is technically more sound and can anchor the innings, with Fakhar Zaman playing the aggressor's role. Therefore, Babar, who has 5957 ODI runs at an average of 56.73, should open the batting alongside Fakhar.
Saud Shakeel vs Kamran Ghulam: Who Should Bat At 3?
If Babar Azam opens the innings, Pakistan will have to choose one player between Tayyab Tahir, Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah and Kamran Ghulam for two crucial batting positions, number three and number six, with skipper Mohammad Rizwan and his deputy Agha Salman set to play at their preferred number four and five, respectively.
Kamran Ghulam has all the ingredients to fill Babar Azam's void at number three. However, the batter's ability to switch gears at will makes him a more potent number six than his competitors. In fact, Ghulam enjoyed stellar success as a lower middle order batter in one of the ODIs vs South Africa, scoring 63 runs off 32 balls at a strike rate of 196.88.
So, his recent success might prompt Pakistan to use him at number six, while Saud Shakeel, who plays the Pakistan Super League as a top-order batter, should be slotted at number three. Rizwan, as mentioned above, should be Pakistan's number four, having amassed 1719 runs at an average of 49.11 at that position.
All-Rounders: Faheem Ashraf, Agha Salman
Agha Salman and Faheem Ashraf should play as Pakistan's all-rounders in the Champions Trophy. Besides scoring 696 runs at an average of 40.94 and a strike rate of 97.21, Salman has scalped 15 wickets with his wily off-spin bowling. Meanwhile, Faheem, who is a bowling all-rounder, can also chip in with valuable runs lower down the order.
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
Ace speedster Shaheen Afridi should lead Pakistan's pace attack with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. Shaheen's left-arm angle and ability to move the ball both ways make him a genuine threat to the opponents. He forms a lethal new ball bowling pair with Naseem, who has scalped 42 wickets in 20 ODIs at an average of 20 and a strike rate of 23.6.
On the other hand, Haris Rauf should be preferred over Mohammad Hasnain as the third pacer, courtesy of his hard-length bowling and impressive numbers in ODI cricket (82 wickets in 45 ODIs, average 25.76, SR 26.5), with Abrar Ahmed leading the spin bowling department.
Pakistan's Strongest Playing XI For ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Salman Agha, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed