The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday submitted the preliminary names of over 20 players to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Sources have confirmed that the squad includes several prominent players and a mix of emerging talent.
The initial list features key players such as captain Muhammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, and Irfan Khan Niazi. Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abbas Afridi, alongside spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqim, are also part of the preliminary squad. Other notable inclusions are 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 named in the preliminary squad.
Sources said that the final squad will be announced by February 10, 2025, following the conclusion of the tri-series against South Africa.
The National Selection Committee has already submitted a 15-member squad for the South Africa series, which closely aligns with the Champions Trophy team.
However, insiders suggest that the final squad will undergo several changes. Players like Abdullah Shafiq and Usman Khan are reportedly unlikely to make the final cut.
As per ICC regulations, all participating teams must submit preliminary squad names a month before the tournament. The Champions Trophy is set to commence on February 12, 2025, with the final approval of squads expected shortly before the event.
