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BIRMINGHAM: Former captain and wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been substituted in the Pakistan Champions squad for the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, scheduled to begin today.
The Pakistan Champions revealed their much-awaited complete squad just before their opening game against the England Champions, set to begin at the iconic Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
The squad, revealed on the franchise’s social media handles, underwent notable changes, with former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed being replaced by Kamran Akmal.
Among other notable changes, the middle-order batter Fawad Alam was added to the squad as a surprise pick.
Earlier this year, the Pakistan Champions had announced that Sarfaraz Ahmed would represent them in the second edition of the WCL.
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For the unversed, former captain Mohammad Hafeez will lead the side in his WCL debut season, taking over from Younis Khan, who is not part of the squad this time around. Another senior name missing from the lineup is Misbah-ul-Haq.
Meanwhile, the core of the team, including Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Wahab Riaz, remains intact.
The WCL 2025 will be contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).
Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.
The upcoming edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.
During the inaugural season, Younis Khan-led Pakistan were among the standout teams, producing dominant performances throughout the group stage.
Despite a spirited effort, Pakistan Champions fell just short in the final against arch-rivals India. After setting a target of 157, they couldn’t prevent India from chasing it down with five wickets and five balls to spare.
Pakistan Champions squad for WCL 2025
Mohammad Hafeez (c), Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal (WK), Shahid Afridi, Asif Ali, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Rumman Raees, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Fawad Alam
READ: Pakistan crush India to reach Asian U-16 Volleyball Championship final
