Pakistan suffered defeat in the final of the tri-nation series at the hands of New Zealand, just five days before the two teams square off again in the opening match of Champions Trophy 2025. It was Pakistan’s second defeat to New Zealand in the tri-nation series, and once again saw concern rise regarding Pakistan’s opening. In particular, former Pakistan cricketers have now spoken up about Babar Azam‘s new role as an opener. The likes of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Hafeez – both members of Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy-winning side – criticising the decision to make Babar open.

Babar has been promoted to open the batting following an injury to young 22-year-old opener Saim Ayub and the poor form of Abdullah Shafique. However, Babar hasn’t been able to fire either.

Babar has failed to cross 30 in each of his three innings in the tri-nation series, and the calls to send him back to No. 3 have only increased.

Former pacer Mohammad Amir has mentioned that Babar must be allowed to utilise his strengths.

“As I have said before, if I don’t get to bowl with the new ball, I won’t be able to utilize my strength. Similarly, Babar’s strength is at No. 3, where he knows how to construct an innings. The role of an opener in T20s is different from that in ODIs and Tests,” Amir told Pakistan-based outlet Geo News.

“He has to do it in phases. In 10 overs, you have to take a chance. In the next 10 overs, you have to build a partnership. The role is different. Babar, yes, he’s a big player. But I think he should have played at number 3. This is his strength. Yes, when you’re stuck, you try different things. Maybe I should take runs from here or there,” Amir explained.

Babar Azam became the joint-quickest man to reach 6,000 ODI runs in the tri-nation series final, but the bulk of his tally has come at No. 3.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez listed three names whom Pakistan should consider selecting so that Babar can play at his usual No. 3.

1- Shaan Masood

2- Imam-ul-Haq

3- Abdullah Shafique

Take any one as opener & let Babar Azam play at no 3 in Champions trophy. Make things easier for everyone.

— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) February 14, 2025

“Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique. Take any one as opener and let Babar Azam play at No. 3 in the Champions Trophy. Make things easier for everyone,” pledged Hafeez, in a post on X.

Pakistan begin their Champions Trophy campaign on February 19 against New Zealand, before taking on arch-rivals India on February 23 in Dubai. The final group game against Bangladesh is on February 27.

Pakistan have decided to stick with their already chosen Champions Trophy squad after the selectors reviewed it following widespread criticism about the inclusion of certain players. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the selectors reviewed the 15-member squad after the selection of batter Khushdil Shah and allrounder Faheem Ashraf invited criticism. But a reliable PCB source said there will not be any last-minute change, even as the deadline by the International Cricket Council (ICC) technical committee for making changes ends on Tuesday.

“The same 15 players will represent Pakistan in the coming (Champions Trophy) tournament and if there is any injury problem with any player that will be dealt with according to the ICC tournament rules,” he said.

Pakistan’s CT squad was strongly criticised by some former players and experts for not having more than one specialist opener and for picking just one specialist spinner — Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan’s defeat to New Zealand in the opening match of the tri-Series only intensified the criticism and Naqvi said last week that the selectors would be reviewing the squad.

“The selectors have reviewed the squad and feel it is the most balanced side for the 50-overs cricket no matter what happens in the tri-series,” the source said.

Captain Muhammad Rizwan has also defended the selected squad insisting that Pakistan didn’t need more then one specialist spinner in their squad as the emphasis would be on pace bowlers.

The source also added that pacer Haris Rauf who had suffered a muscle cramp during the game against New Zealand would be fine for the tri-series final (if Pakistan qualifies) and for the ICC showpiece.

“He is being rested for tomorrow’s game against South Africa to allow him recovery time,” he added.

Pakistan has suffered a body blow before the CT when in-form opener Saim Ayub was ruled out for 10-weeks after an ankle injury sustained while fielding in the second Test against South Africa in Capetown last month.

Haris Rauf set to be fit for Champions Trophy opener

The Pakistani selectors are confident that fast bowler Haris Rauf will be fit in time for the February 19 Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand even though he was ruled out of the three-nation ODI tournament on Tuesday. Haris, who sustained a muscle injury while bowling against New Zealand in the tri-series opener, is said to have been advised rest and skip the remaining matches of the three-nation event.

“This has been done so that he has ample time to be ready for the Champions Trophy,” an official close to the team said.

He said that Haris was with the national side and was being well taken care of by the physio, strength and conditioning coach and team doctor.

After Haris underwent a MRI and X-ray scans, the PCB released a statement confirming the injury.

“The injury is not serious, and Haris Rauf is expected to make a full recovery in time for the ICC Champions Trophy, which begins in Karachi on February 19,” the statement said.

“However, as part of his rehabilitation and as a precautionary measure, Rauf will not be available for selection in Pakistan’s next match against South Africa on February 12,” the statement added.

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

Cricket venues in Pakistan have been under construction for a long time.© X (formerly Twitter)

File image of Saim Ayub.© AFP

File image of National Stadium Karachi© X (Twitter)

A key meeting of ICC to decide the fate of the 2025 Champions Trophy, that was supposed to take place virtually on Friday, has been postponed. The BCCI and the PCB has been at loggerheads regarding the host venue of the Champions Trophy. BCCI has said that the Indian cricket team will not travel to Pakistan, the designated hosts, while the Pakistan Cricket Board has said that it is not ready for a hybrid model of hosting. The meeting will take now place on November 30.

Representatives from 12 ICC full member countries, three from associate nations, an independent director along with the ICC chairman and CEO are likely to be part of the meeting.

Meanwhile, a report in news agency PTI said that the emergency meeting of the International Cricket Council’s executive board could not achieve a consensus on the much-awaited Champions Trophy schedule and will reconvene on Saturday after Pakistan once again rejected the ‘Hybrid’ model of hosting the event.

The meeting was brief after Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that the ‘hybrid’ model won’t be acceptable despite India’s firm refusal to travel to his country owing to a lack of government clearance.

“The Board did meet briefly today. All parties continue to work towards a positive resolution for the Champions Trophy 2025 and it is expected that the Board will reconvene on Saturday and continue to meet over the next few days,” a senior administrator of an ICC full member nation, who is also a part of the Board, told PTI.

Naqvi attended the meeting in person as he has been in Dubai since Thursday to push Pakistan’s stance. BCCI secretary Jay Shah attended the meeting online. Shah will take charge of ICC on December 1. 

According to a report in the Indian Express, the ICC may place two plans in front of the panel. The first one is to hold three of India’s group stage games, one semi-final and the final in a neutral country – with UAE a likely choice due to its geographical proximity to Pakistan (making it easier for other teams to travel to and fro rom the country). The second plan is that if Indian cricket team does not qualify for knockouts, both semi-finals and final take place in Pakistan.

A voting may also take place among the member boards. The majority’s decision will be the final one and then PCB will have to decide its course. According to reports, the 19-day window for the tournament is February 19 to March 9.

Pakistan have the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is adamant on staging the tournament completely. With India refusing to travel across the border to play in Pakistan, the likely format available to conduct the tournament is a ‘hybrid model’ with Pakistan hosting a majority of matches in the country while India plays its matches elsewhere.

Last year, the PCB hosted the Asia Cup in a hybrid model after India refused to travel to Pakistan. India played all its matches in the tournament in Colombo including the semifinal and final.

Earlier this month, the PCB wrote to the sport’s global body seeking clarification and details regarding BCCI’s decision, which had been communicated to the sport’s World governing body.

The PCB has sought a written response from the BCCI, along with the date it officially informed the ICC of its position. Amid the ongoing uncertainty around the tournament, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed confidence in hosting the first ICC event in Pakistan since 1996.

“We have sent them (ICC) the questions we had. We are still waiting for their response. I believe that sports and politics are separate and no country should mix the two. Even now I still have positive expectations about the Champions Trophy,” Naqvi had said at a press interaction at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan, who got the Champions Trophy hosting rights in November 2021, have not hosted an ICC event since the 1996 World Cup.

With IANS  and PTI inputs 

In an apparent climb down from its earlier stated position, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to make “adjustments” in the schedule of the 2025 Champions Trophy which it is hosting with matches involving India taking place in the UAE, according to sources. It could mean that the tournament may be held in the ‘Hybrid Model’ as the Indian government is unlikely to allow its team to travel to Pakistan in the existing socio-political environment and security concerns for national team.

The last tournament that Pakistan hosted was the Asia Cup in 2023, conducted in a ‘Hybrid Model’ with India playing their matches in Sri Lanka as the government refused to permit the players’ travel across the border.

“The PCB feels that even if Indian government does not clear the tour to Pakistan slight adjustments can be made to the schedule, as in all probability India would play its matches in Dubai or Sharjah,” a reliable source in the PCB told PTI.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), on its part, can’t force any Board to go against its government policy and it will be interesting to see as to when BCCI takes a final call on the matter. By the time, the final call is likely to be made, ICC will be chaired by India’s Jay Shah.

Meanwhile, the PCB is pushing the ICC to announce the schedule for the tournament by next week as some top officials of the world governing body are due to visit Lahore again next week.

“The PCB has discussed with the ICC the tentative schedule which they sent some months back and wants the same schedule announced on 11 November,” said the source.

“It has told the ICC that since a back-up plan is already in place with a revised budget there is no sense in delaying releasing a tentative schedule of matches.” He said the PCB has also asked the ICC to push the BCCI to confirm if they will send their team to Pakistan for the February-March event next year.

“The PCB wants the BCCI to give in writing whether they get permission from their government or not to send their team to Pakistan,” the source said.

According to the tentative schedule proposed by the PCB, the marquee Champions Trophy match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is slated in Lahore on March 1 next year.

The tournament is slated to begin on February 19, 2025, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in Karachi. The final is scheduled on March 9 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

According to the tentative schedule, all of India’s matches have been kept in Lahore for security and logistical reasons.

The PCB is spending nearly 13 billion rupees on upgrading its stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi where the CT matches would be held, according to sources.

Representative image.© X (Twitter)

Representational Image.© X (formerly Twitter)

File photo of Fakhar Zaman.© AFP