Fakhar Zaman Out, Saim Ayub In; Pakistan's 3 Massive Squad Changes For Champions Trophy

Fakhar will be replaced by Saim Ayub [Source: @Cricket_istic, @kaustats/X]

After securing an emphatic three-nil win in the South Africa ODIs, Pakistan are gearing up for the much-awaited Champions Trophy on home soil. Led by Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan exhibited commendable skill and resilience to register clinical wins in Australia and South Africa, showcasing their remarkable turnaround in the 50-over format. 

It's worth mentioning that Pakistan are the defending champions of the ICC Champions Trophy. They swatted aside India by 180 runs in the final at The Oval, clinching their first-ever title in the tournament. However, it's an eight-year-old incident, and there will be significant changes in Pakistan's Champions Trophy squad this time. As the hosts prepare for the showpiece event, here are the three most notable changes to their playing combination. 

Fakhar Zaman Out, Saim Ayub In

• Swashbuckling left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman was instrumental in Pakistan's triumphant 2017 Champions Trophy campaign. The explosive batter struck a belligerent century in the final, leading his team to a memorable win against arch-rivals India. 
• However, the veteran batter is struggling with poor form and some fitness concerns. As a result, he won't likely be picked in Pakistan's squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy. He will be replaced by Saim Ayub, who has the reputation of a dasher at the top order. 
• Hailed for his scintillating stroke play, Saim Ayub recently enjoyed stellar success in white-ball cricket, playing some glorious knocks on the Australia and South Africa tours. In nine ODI innings, Saim has slammed 515 runs, including three centuries at a blistering strike rate. Technically, he is a like-for-like replacement for Fakhar, and his inclusion will certainly boost the Men in Green's batting order. 

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Mohammad Amir Out, Shaheen Afridi In

• Mohammad Amir was pivotal in Pakistan's remarkable victory over India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Opening the bowling for Pakistan, Amir rattled the Indian line-up with his pace and movement, scalping crucial wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 
• However, the fast bowler's career eventually ended amid his love-hate relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Despite having age on his side, Amir announced his international retirement after being sidelined from the white-ball formats. 
• Thus, the speedster will be replaced by Shaheen Afridi, who is regarded as one of the finest prospects of new ball bowling in the modern-day game. In 58 ODI innings, Afridi has bagged 119 wickets at an impressive average of 23.1. The left-arm pacer can be more lethal than Amir at times, boosting Pakistan's bowling unit in the Champions Trophy 2025. 

Sarfaraz Ahmed Out, Mohammad Rizwan In

• The most significant change in Pakistan's Champions Trophy 2025 squad will be their leadership, with Mohammad Rizwan taking over the reins. Out-of-favour wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed led them to the title the last time they played the Champions Trophy. 
• But Sarfaraz lost his place due to age-related fitness concerns, while Rizwan gradually established himself as Pakistan's white-ball captain following Babar Azam's underwhelming run. Rizwan has been a consistent performer for Pakistan in ODIs and is expected to ensure the Men in Green's commendable performance with his batting and leadership acumen. 

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