Wasim Akram, legendary Pakistani cricketer, has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a few of their choices when dissecting the Men in Green Squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The 8-team tournament will begin on February 19 and will be played in Pakistan and Dubai.
One of the gripes Wasim Akram had with the selected squad was the inclusion of all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. The 31-year-old bowling all-rounder, who last played a 50-over match for the Men in Green on September 10, 2023, was included in the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) roster on Friday (January 31).
Ashraf has scored 224 runs (batting average 10.66) and taken 26 wickets (bowling average 46.30) in 34 ODIs, but the selection committee wishes him the best of luck in the coming contests.
"Congratulations to the Pakistan Cricket Board who have prepared the stadiums in record time. It's a big deal,” Wasim Akram said during a press conference organized by ILT20.
“The team that has been announced, I haven’t seen it properly yet. But couple of which I have seen, for instance, Faheem Ashraf is in the team. I wish him all the best. A talented cricketer. But in the last 20 matches, his bowling average is 100, and his batting average is 9.
He came out of the blue, and Khushdil Shah also came out of the blue. And we are taking one spinner, a proper spinner. I think India has ordered 3-4 spinners in their squad. And there is a reason why they have selected them. Anyway, the team has been selected. I wish the Pakistan team all the best. There will be some pressure because of being hosts. We are expecting them to reach the semi-final," Akram said.
Wasim Akram was extremely happy with Fakhar Zaman’s return to the Pakistan squad.
Akram said, "Thank God regular opener Fakhar is back in the squad, he is one of the main players in white ball cricket in the world. I would like to see Mohammad Rizwan as a middle order batter and Babar Azam as an opener, because he has a great technique, if he plays full 50 overs, he will hit a hundred and the team's batting can revolve around him."
On Pakistan's pace attack, Akram said, "Naseem Shah is back, Shaheen Shah Afridi is there, Haris Rauf is there and of course Mohammad Hasnain is there too. They had to invest in an all-rounder but Jamal is not there in the squad."
The eight-nation Champions Trophy will follow a hybrid model with India playing their matches in Dubai. Pakistan will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed
