Aaqib Javed Defends Selection Of Faheem Ashraf And Khushdil Shah In Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Squad

February 6, 2025: Interim head coach Aaqib Javed has come out in defense of the selection of all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah in Pakistan’s 15-player squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The announcement of the squad, which includes the two players, received significant backlash from fans and former cricketers, especially considering the availability of talented players such as Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Aamer Jamal, and Sufyan Moqim.

In response to the criticism, Aaqib Javed addressed the tactical reasons behind the inclusion of Faheem and Khushdil, stressing their importance to the team for the upcoming series and tournament.

Aaqib highlighted that Pakistan had been without a fast-bowling all-rounder for some time, and Faheem’s selection was based on his all-round skills. “Faheem bowls seam bowling besides batting, and we believe in his potential and contribution to the team. Aamer Jamal has mostly played Tests, and I don’t think he has played many ODIs. That’s why Faheem was selected,” Javed explained. Faheem’s ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds balance to the squad, making him a valuable asset for Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.

The inclusion of Khushdil Shah, who had previously been discussed before the Australia tour, was also defended by Aaqib. Khushdil was selected to fill the void left by Saim Ayub, who was unavailable. “We needed an all-rounder to fill Saim’s void, which is why Khushdil was included in the squad,” Javed explained. Khushdil’s selection, while controversial, is seen as a tactical move to strengthen the all-round options in Pakistan’s squad for the Champions Trophy.

Concerns Over Spin Bowling

Another point of concern raised by critics was the lack of specialist spinners in Pakistan’s squad. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed is the only frontline spinner included in the squad, with many questioning why Sajid Khan, who had been in strong contention for a white-ball role, was not selected.

Aaqib defended the decision, stating that with Abrar in the squad, Pakistan was unlikely to play two spinners. “I can’t see any chance of going with two spinners when you have Abrar,” he said, indicating that Abrar’s skills would be relied upon for the team’s spin department.

Tri-Series Preparations

Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan will feature in a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand, which is expected to help the team prepare for their title defense. The tri-series will begin on February 8 with New Zealand facing Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium. The action will continue with New Zealand playing South Africa on February 10, before the focus shifts to Karachi, where Pakistan will face South Africa on February 12. The final of the tri-series is set to take place on February 14, just five days before the Champions Trophy opener.

Pakistan Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

The final 15-player squad for the Champions Trophy includes:

• Fakhar Zaman
• Babar Azam
• Kamran Ghulam
• Saud Shakeel
• Tayyab Tahir
• Faheem Ashraf
• Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wicketkeeper)
• Khushdil Shah
• Salman Agha
• Usman Khan
• Abrar Ahmed
• Shaheen Shah Afridi
• Mohammad Hasnain
• Haris Rauf
• Naseem Shah

With the squad selected, Pakistan will aim to defend their title and perform well in the tri-series to fine-tune their preparations before the Champions Trophy kicks off.