Host Pakistan recalled opening batter Fakhar Zaman and allrounder Faheem Ashraf for the Champions Trophy while Saim Ayub was ruled out on Friday due to a broken ankle.

“We recognize how devastating it must be for him (Ayub) to miss a global event, especially when he is in such exceptional batting form,” national selector Asad Shafiq said.

“As a valuable asset to our team, we are committed to prioritizing his long-term health over making any rushed decisions.”

Left-handed opener Ayub scored two centuries in the one-day international series against South Africa but was injured during a test in Cape Town this month and was recovering in London.

Pakistan has made four changes to the squad that beat South Africa 3-0 in Pakistan’s last ODI series. Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Irfan Khan, and left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem were replaced by Ashraf, Fakhar, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.

Fakhar was sidelined from international cricket due to injury and illness since June then scored 303 runs in a domestic Twenty20 tournament in his comeback in December. Fakhar is one of three survivors along with Ashraf and Babar Azam who were part of the Pakistan squad which won the last Champions Trophy in 2017 in England.

Pakistan test vice-captain Shakeel has also returned to white-ball cricket after last appearing at the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023. The left-hander was ignored for the last three ODI series wins against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive approach and match-winning capabilities are vital to our plans,” Shafiq said. “Likewise, Saud Shakeel is an experienced, intelligent and calculated batter who constructs his innings thoughtfully and excels at building partnerships.”

Shafiq said Babar or Saud could be Fakhar’s opening partner, depending on the opposition and conditions.

Allrounders Ashraf and Khushdil will provide Pakistan some cushion in the middle order. Ashraf’s last ODI was in September 2023 while Khushdil’s last ODI was in August 2022. They have performed well in domestic competitions.

“The selectors have continued to adopt a ‘horses for courses’ approach,” Shafiq said. “Our focus has been on selecting players who have consistently excelled in domestic competitions under similar conditions, demonstrating their readiness to perform in a global event.”

Pakistan will host a tri-nation series with South Africa and New Zealand from Feb. 8 as a buildup for the Champions Trophy.

In the Champions Trophy, Pakistan is grouped with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh and opens against New Zealand on Feb. 19 in Karachi. India didn’t get its government’s permission to travel to Pakistan and will play all of its matches in Dubai.

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), 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.

Press Release, Source: AP News