A powerhouse of international cricket, Pakistan is looking to overcome considerable adversity.
Not only must they deal with the added stress of being tournament hosts, but Pakistan is weathering recent coaching instability, with Aqib Javed in charge in an interim capacity until after the Champions Trophy.
Can captain Mohammad Rizwan and his side overcome the intense scrutiny that will follow their campaign?
Pakistan’s CT squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Group stage fixtures
February 19 – Against New Zealand, Karachi
February 23 – Against India, Dubai
February 27 – Against Bangladesh, Rawalpindi
Player to watch
Babar Azam
Superstar Babar is the International Cricket Council’s top-ranked One Day International batter (795 rating points), sitting firmly above Indian duo Shubman Gill (2nd) and Rohit Sharma (3rd). The 30-year old scored back-to-back fifties in South Africa to finish off 2024 and he will need to keep that form rolling if Pakistan are to make a dent in their home tournament.
