KARACHI: The ninth edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, also known as the Mini World Cup, is set to take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The event will be hosted jointly by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

As teams begin to announce their squads for the prestigious tournament, Pakistan, the defending champions, are expected to field a lineup comprising seven batsmen, four pacers, three spinners, and a single wicketkeeper.

Reports suggest that Mohammad Rizwan will assume the wicketkeeping duties, with Usman Khan, previously included during the South Africa ODI series, unlikely to feature in the squad.

For the fast bowling unit, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf are poised for inclusion, while Mohammad Hasnain may secure the fourth pacer slot.

Among spinners, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, and Sufyan Moqim are likely candidates. Shadab Khan, a former vice-captain, is expected to make a comeback after being omitted from tours to Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Despite being dropped from the team, Shadab remained in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Central Contract for the 2024-25 season in Category C. He has since delivered solid performances in domestic tournaments, including the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.

Imam-ul-Haq, a left-handed opening batsman, is also expected to return. Imam has an impressive record of 3,138 runs in 72 ODIs for Pakistan, with a healthy average of 48.27. His recent domestic performances highlight his readiness for the mega event.

Fakhar Zaman, another experienced campaigner, could make a comeback pending fitness clearance. The aggressive opener has been in solid form, scoring 303 runs in the Champions T20 tournament.

With Shadab, Fakhar, and Imam’s inclusion anticipated, Pakistan aims to present a strong squad to defend their title in the Champions Trophy.