Pakistan selectors on Friday sprung a surprise by including just one specialist spinner and picking nine batsmen in their 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy beginning next month. Abrar Ahmed, 26, the only specialist spinner in the squad captained by Mohammad Rizwan, has played four ODIs taking 10 wickets with a best of 4/33.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that it can make changes to the squad until February 11 as per the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rules.
The selectors have recalled all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf and opener Fakhar Zaman, whose inclusion was on the cards after Saim Ayub sustained an ankle injury.
Fakhar last played for Pakistan during the 2023 World Cup in India, while Khushdil’s last appearance was in Rotterdam in 2022. Faheem’s last appearance was in the 50-over Asia Cup in early 2023.
The selectors dropped left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, batsman Irfan Khan Niazi and opener Abdullah Shafique from the side that recently played in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. There are four changes in the 15-player squad that last played an ODI series in South Africa late last year. Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sufyan Moqim have been replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel.
National Selector Asad Shafiq said the PCB had stuck to its horses-for-courses policy while picking the squad.
“Our focus has been on selecting players who have consistently excelled in domestic competitions under similar conditions, demonstrating their readiness to perform in a global event,” said Shafiq.
He said that either batting stalwart Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel will open the innings with Fakhar in the event, scheduled to begin at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19.
The four pacers in the squad are Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The squad will also play a Tri-series with South Africa and New Zealand in Karachi and Lahore from February 8-14.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Muhammad Hasnain and Abrar Ahmed.
