The ICC Champions Trophy, often referred to as the "Mini World Cup," is set to take place from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the UAE. As teams begin finalising their squads, reports suggest that Pakistan, the defending champions, is preparing with a balanced lineup consisting of seven batsmen, four fast bowlers, three spinners and one wicketkeeper. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan is expected to be the sole wicketkeeper in Pakistan's squad.
Usman Khan, who was included as a backup wicketkeeper during the South Africa ODI series, is unlikely to feature in the Champions Trophy lineup.
The pace battery is expected to include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, with Mohammad Hasnain vying for the fourth spot.
Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Maqeem are the probable spinners for the squad.
Shadab who retained in the PCB's Central Contract 2024-25 under Category C, shown remarkable determination to reclaim his place in the national team.
Despite being sidelined after the T20 World Cup 2024, his impressive domestic performances, including scoring 120 runs and taking five wickets in the Champions One-Day Cup, have kept him in contention.
Among the batsmen, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman are likely to make comebacks.
Imam, with an impressive ODI career average of 48.27, has proven his form in domestic tournaments, scoring 212 runs at an average of 53.00 in the Champions One-Day Cup and 256 runs at an average of 36.67 in nine matches for the Lions in the Champions T20 tournament.
Another key expectation is the return of aggressive opener Fakhar Zaman.
The 34-year-old, who has represented Pakistan in 82 international One-Day matches, remains subject to fitness requirements under his central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The left-handed batsman was not included in the squads for the tours of Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
However, he recently showcased his form in the Champions T20 tournament, amassing 303 runs at an average of 30.30 across ten matches, including two half-centuries.
The return of Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman to the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy seems highly likely.
ICC rankings
Pakistan's middle-order batter Saud Shakeel made notable progress in the latest ICC Test rankings, while several Pakistan cricketers experienced decline.
Shakeel's impressive 84-run knock in the second innings of the first Test against South Africa saw him rise three spots, moving from ninth to sixth with 764 rating points.
However, the news wasn't as positive for Babar Azam, who, despite scoring a half-century in the same Test, dropped two places to 17th with 669 rating points.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha also saw decline, sliding to 21st and 23rd, respectively.
Out-of-form opening batter Abdullah Shafique dropped to 51st, while skipper Shan Masood retained his 57th spot. England's Joe Root remains on top as the number-one Test batter, accompanied by teammate Harry Brook in second, while New Zealand's Kane Williamson is third.
In the bowling rankings, Pakistan's spinner Noman Ali slipped to ninth place with 751 rating points, while pace bowler Shaheen Afridi dropped to 18th with 661 points.
Mohammad Abbas, who returned to international cricket with six wickets against South Africa, has secured the 23rd spot.
Pace sensation Naseem Shah surged six places to 33rd, while Hasan Ali and Sajid Khan dropped to 40th and 41st spots, respectively.
Khurram Shahzad moved up one place to 57th, while Abrar Ahmed slipped three spots to 59th.
India's Jasprit Bumrah continues to lead the Test bowler rankings. Josh Hazlewood replaced Kagiso Rabada as the new second-best Test bowler, with Australian captain Pat Cummins joining him in third place.
In the ODI rankings, Pakistan's white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan made a slight rise, climbing three places to 21st, while Saim Ayub achieved a meteoric rise, jumping 57 places to 23rd with 603 points.
Pakistan's opening batsmen, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, saw minor dips, each dropping one spot to 17th and 19th respectively.
Vice-captain Salman Ali Agha made a significant leap, moving up 28 places to 80th, while Abdullah Shafique slipped to 98th.
Babar Azam continues to dominate the ODI rankings, holding onto the top spot, with India's Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in second, third. In the ODI bowling rankings, Haris Rauf saw a small dip, dropping from 15th to 16th, while Mohammad Wasim Jr. held his position at 61st.
Naseem Shah's rise was notable, jumping 10 spots from 61st to 51st. Mohammad Nawaz, however, slipped six places to 73rd.
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