With Saim Ayub out injured, Pakistan face a tough decision on whom to pair alongside Fakhar Zaman at the top in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Pakistan are set to host the Champions Trophy 2025 along with the UAE from February 19. For a home tournament, they would want to put their best foot forward as they aim to defend the title, having won the 2017 edition by beating India in the final.
They have announced the 15-member squad for the tournament, with some notable absentees in Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique. Ayub had suffered an ankle injury on the tour of South Africa and has been sidelined since while Shafique was left out due to his poor recent form.
Pakistan, led by Mohammad Rizwan, need to make a call on their opening pair for the Champions Trophy. One of the spots is likely to be taken by Fakhar Zaman, the 34-year old left-hand batter, who last played an ODI in 2023.
Ayub has been the best batter for Pakistan in the format since the ODI World Cup, with 515 runs at an average of 64.37 and strike rate of 105.53, including three centuries. Zaman, a naturally attacking batter, will take up the aggressor role while the other spot is up for grabs. As per the National Selection Committee member Asad Shafiq, Pakistan are looking at Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel as the likely options.
Babar Azam is the front-runner to join Fakhar at the top, thanks to his experience as an opener in the shorter format of the game. He has been one of the most prolific openers in T20 cricket, making him a great choice at the top.
In the fifty-over format, Babar opened for Pakistan in two games in 2015 but has since been their designated number three. He has amassed 5466 runs in that role at an average of 60 with 19 centuries and 29 half centuries.
Moving from number three to opening is not a hard task, and in the subcontinent conditions, opening is perhaps the best position to bat at. The star Pakistan batter recently opened in Tests in South Africa after Ayub’s injury and scored two fifties in two innings. That also goes in favour of him.
Setting a big platform in ODIs is important and the pair of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman could compliment each other well.
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Saud Shakeel had been out of Pakistan’s ODI side since the World Cup but has received another opportunity to cement his place. He is in contention for the opening spot according to Shafiq but the lack of experience in that role could go against him.
Shakeel played 15 ODIs between 2021-23 and batted at number five in nine of the 12 innings. His numbers weren’t promising there, averaging a touch below 29 with three half centuries.
Shakeel hasn’t played any fifty-over cricket since October last year and his selection seems to be on the basis of his red-ball form, having registered two centuries and three 80s in the last 10 FC matches. Chief selector Asad Shafiq also hinted that Fakhar Zaman might be partnered by Babar or Shakeel at the top.
In a bit of an out-of-the-box move, Pakistan could move Mohammad Rizwan to the top of the order in the Champions Trophy 2025. The right-hand wicketkeeper batter has been a key figure for Pakistan in ODIs in the middle order.
Batting at number four, Rizwan has piled on over 1700 runs at an average of 49 and strike rate of 89. He has hit three centuries and 11 half centuries in this position. Logically, you shouldn’t try to change something that’s been working quite well. But given his experience as an opener in T20s, you never know what Pakistan could do.
