ISLAMABAD: Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem is likely to be included in Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, joining Abrar Ahmed as part of the team’s spin attack, sources said.
Insider sources revealed that the talented left-arm spinner is on track to secure his place in the national team for the highly anticipated mega tournament. Concerns had previously been voiced regarding Pakistan’s strategy of fielding a solo spinner during the tri-nation series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with Abrar Ahmed being the sole frontline spinner in the mix.
In light of these apprehensions, white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan addressed the issue, explaining that the decision was influenced by the specific conditions of their home turf. “Given the possibility of dew affecting play, we believed that a duo of spinners might not be advantageous,” he clarified just the day before.
Rizwan further noted that should the situation demand, they could call upon Salman Agha or introduce Khushdil Shah into the Playing XI as an additional spin option.
“Abrar Ahmed is our primary choice for the ODI squad, so we didn’t give much consideration to bringing in a second spinner,” Rizwan stated.
However, fresh updates suggest that Sufiyan Muqeem is now set to officially join Pakistan’s final roster for the Champions Trophy 2025. It’s worth mentioning that this rising star made his ODI debut in December against South Africa, where he dazzled with remarkable figures of 4/52, marking him as one of Pakistan’s top debut spinners.
As it stands, Pakistan is currently engaged in a tri-nation series featuring New Zealand and South Africa. Once this series wraps up, the national squad will gear up for the fiercely contested Champions Trophy 2025, kicking off on February 19.
Pakistan’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy:
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Usman Khan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.