LAHORE: Pakistan white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan has backed star batter Babar Azam as an opener for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, saying that ‘King Karlega’, a phrase originally coined by fast bowler Hasan Ali.
Pakistan will begin their campaign in the much-anticipated Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.
They will then face India in the highly-anticipated match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23.
While talking to the media ahead of the tri-nation series, Mohammad Rizwan backed Babar Azam as an opener alongside Fakhar Zaman for the eight-team tournament by referencing Hasan Ali’s famous words.
”As Hasan Ali said, ‘King Karlega’-he will do it, Saim ayub was exceptional, he performed well and his absence will be felt,” said Rizwan.
The white-ball captain reaffirmed the squad selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by stating that as of now there aren’t any changes needed.
”The squad of Champions Trophy is in front of everyone, as of now there are no planned changes to the team.”
He further said that the upcoming match against New Zealand will provide further clarity on the team’s combination and strategy.
Rizwan backed all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah by highlighting their batting performances over the past two years.
”Faheem has been averaging 46 in the last two years with the bat in List A cricket, Khushdil is in great form and there should be no doubts about his selection,” said Rizwan.
For the unversed, the above-mentioned duo selection in the national team was criticised by former cricketers and fans. Both cricketers were out from the Pakistan team for a long time.
Faheem last played for the Men in Green back in September 2023 while Khushdil’s last appearance for Pakistan in ODIs came in August 2022.
Rizwan also addressed the opening batter Fakhar Zaman’s recent health issues and named him a proven match-winner for the team.
“Fakhar had no idea about his illness. It was only after medical tests that we identified the issue, he is a proven match-winner, and everyone knows his impact,” he explained.
Speaking about Gaddafi Stadium, Rizwan admitted that the venue felt new for the team, given the lack of recent matches there.
“Even for us, Gaddafi Stadium feels different now. We will assess the pitch conditions before making any decisions,” he remarked.
While shedding light on the team’s spin attack he downplayed injury concerns for spinners along with stressing that Abrar Ahmed would be supported by Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah.
“Even if a spinner gets injured, they can still manage to play since their injuries are usually minor,” said the white-ball captain.
Pakistan squad for tri-nation series, Champions Trophy 2025:
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.
READ: Fakhar Zaman reveals Babar Azam’s batting position in Champions Trophy
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed the national team’s official jersey for the…
LAHORE: Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime minister of Pakistan on Friday inaugurated the newly renovated Gaddafi…
Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman has shared his thoughts on the batting position of Babar Azam…
LAHORE: Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has hinted at possible…
FIFA has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) immediately due to its failure to implement…
LAHORE: The trophy for the tri-nation ODI series involving hosts Pakistan, along with New Zealand…