Following Pakistan’s disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to revamp the national squad, with reports suggesting captain Mohammad Rizwan and several senior players will be rested to make way for fresh talent.
If Rizwan is benched, Shadab Khan is the frontrunner for captaincy. Sources indicate that 8 to 9 new players are likely to be included, while key figures such as Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman are expected to be dropped. Imam-ul-Haq, Tayyab Tahir, and Kamran Ghulam are also likely to miss out.
Among the potential new faces, Mohammad Haris, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Arafat Minhas are set to join the squad. Other contenders include Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, and Jahandad Khan, while Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, and Omair Bin Yousuf are also being considered. Additionally, Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, and Abdul Samad are expected to be part of the revamped team.
PCB Chairman Pushes for Long-Term Strategy
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with selectors at the National Cricket Academy to assess the team’s disappointing performance. Emphasizing long-term growth, he urged them to develop a stronger, more competitive squad for the future.He also engaged with emerging cricket talent from across Pakistan.
With a major transition on the horizon, Pakistan cricket faces a defining moment. Will this overhaul revive the team’s fortunes, or will the struggle continue?