Saim Ayub out as PCB announces squad for Champions Trophy

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced the national squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament with Saim Ayub a notable exclusion from the team due to his injuries.

In a video posted on the PCB’s X account, members of Pakistan’s winning squad for the 2017 edition announced the team lineup.

A press release issued by the PCB said the board has until February 11 to make any changes, after which any replacements would only be permitted on medical grounds, subject to approval by the ICC Event Technical Committee.

“The squad, to be captained by Mohammad Rizwan with Salman Ali Agha as vice-captain, includes three members from the 2017 title-winning side — Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf and Fakhar Zaman. Babar and Fakhar, along with Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Saud Shakeel had also featured in the last 50-over ICC event — the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2023,” the PCB said.

Outlining the changes in the squad, the PCB said Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim were replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.

Fakhar, who was a centurion when Pakistan won the Champions Trophy in 2017 makes his return after “overcoming injury and illness” that had sidelined him from international cricket since June 2024, the press release said.

Fakhar who was reprimanded last year for breaching code of conduct was the third-highest run-scorer in Champions T20 Cup 2024 with 303 runs at an impressive strike-rate of over 132, the press release said.

Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel was given the spot for his “consistent and strong performances” in the Test matches at home. The left-handed batter last played ODI against England in Kolkata in the ICC Men’s 50-over World Cup 2023.

Faheem and Khushdil were named for the versatility they add to the squad, providing skipper Rizwan with “additional options”, PCB said.

National Selection Committee member Asad Shafiq said selectors have continued with their “horses for courses approach”, selecting players who excelled in domestic competitions.

“One of the standout qualities of this side is its flexibility — an essential trait in today’s modern-day cricket,” the press release quoted him as saying, adding that he was confident the squad struck the “right balance between youth and experience”.

“Each player has been chosen with a clear role in mind, ensuring the captain has versatile options at his disposal,” he said.

“Fakhar Zaman’s return is a significant boost for our top order. His aggressive approach and match-winning capabilities are vital to our plans,” Shafiq said.

“Likewise, Saud Shakeel has been drafted to further bolster the batting and capitalise on his rich vein of form in Test cricket, particularly in home conditions,” he added.

On the exclusion of both openers, Abdullah and Saim, Shafiq said that the Green Team’s opening pair for the Champions Trophy could include either Babar or Saud with Fakhar.

“Both players are highly capable at the top of the order, with Babar being particularly seasoned in the role,” Shafiq said.

“Saim Ayub has not been included in the squad due to an ankle injury, but we remain optimistic about his recovery,” he said.

“However, as a valuable asset to our team, we are committed to prioritising his long-term health over making any rushed decisions,” he added.

The PCB said the squad would assemble in Lahore on Monday.

It added that the same squad to feature in the tri-nation series against New Zealand and South Africa before the Champions Trophy.

Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Gaddafi Stadium to be reopened on Feb 7

Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be reopened on February 7 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while the Karachi Stadium will be reopened by President Asif Ali Zardari on February 11.

The reconstruction of three stadiums — in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi — which started on Oct 10 last year, looked in peril at one time as the board tried to finish the preparations for Pakistan’s first ICC event since the World Cup in 1996.

Speaking to the media in Gaddafi Stadium today, the PCB chairman said that the stadium would be “100 per cent complete before the inauguration on Feb 7”.

“It is the first time in history that a stadium, equipped with the latest international facilities, is prepared in Pakistan,” Naqvi said earlier in the day, adding that fans, along with players, would enjoy the facilities.

Earlier this month, the board extended the deadline to Feb 2 from the previous Jan 25, stating that most of the finishing work on the stadium was completed but the final touch would need 10 more days.

The two other stadiums under renovation for the event in Rawalpindi and Karachi are facing similar delays, however, the board has said that the preparations will be completed on time.