Asad Shafiq: “These players have shown the temperament and skill to thrive in challenging environments and have a deep understanding of home conditions”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan selector Asad Shafiq has full confidence in mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle order batsmen Kamran Ghulam and Tayyab Tahir ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Explaining why they were picked, he noted that the trio “have shown the temperament and skill to thrive in challenging environments”.
Additionally, since the Champions Trophy will mostly take place in Pakistan, with the exception of India’s matches, which will be held in Dubai, Shafiq expects big things from Abrar, Ghulam and Tahir as they know how to excel in home conditions.
“The inclusion of emerging players like mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle order batters Kamran Ghulam and Tayyab Tahir reflects our confidence in their ability to translate domestic success into international impact. These players have shown the temperament and skill to thrive in challenging environments and have a deep understanding of home conditions,” he was quoted as saying in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release.
Abrar recently featured in Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against South Africa and took four wickets in two games at an average of 20.
Ghulam played in the same series and scored 67 runs, which included a top score of 63, at an average of 22.33.
As for Tahir, he got the chance to play one ODI against the Proteas and made 28 runs.
After the tour of South Africa, Pakistan played a two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
The men in green then faced New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series, but lost in the final to the Black Caps.
Pakistan will now play in the Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah