Asad Shafiq talked about Pakistan’s opening pair for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, since Fakhar Zaman is the only specialist opener in the squad.
The issue of Pakistan’s opening combination for the upcoming tri-nation ODI series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has been addressed by Asad Shafiq, a member of the Pakistan selection committee. This comes after the 15-member team for the tournament was revealed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The squad’s only specialized opening batsman is Fakhar Zaman. But since Abdullah Shafique was benched because of his recent performance and Saim Ayub was ruled out because of an ankle ailment, the selectors are looking at other candidates for the opening position. According to Shafiq, depending on the circumstances, either Saud Shakeel or Babar Azam will be elevated to open with Fakhar.
“Fakhar’s opening partner could be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, depending on various factors such as conditions, opposition, and match strategy,” Shafiq stated in a press release issued by the PCB
He stated, “Both players are highly capable at the top of the order, with Babar being particularly seasoned in the role, regularly opening in T20Is and also excelling in the Cape Town Test by scoring two half-centuries in Saim Ayub’s absence.”
Pakistan squad for the tri-nation series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
- Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper)
- Babar Azam
- Fakhar Zaman
- Khushdil Shah
- Faheem Ashraf
- Saud Shakeel
- Naseem Shah
- Tayyab Tahir
- Salman Ali Agha
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Kamran Ghulam
- Muhammad Hasnain
- Usman Khan
- Haris Rauf
