'Sufiyan Muqeem will somehow make it to Pakistan's CT 25 squad'

Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem is reportedly in contention to join Abrar Ahmed in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad, ARY News reported, citing sources.

According to sources, the left-arm spinner will make it to the national squad for the upcoming tournament.

Several raised concerns over Pakistan’s single-spinner strategy for the tri-nation series and the Champions Trophy 2025 as Abrar Ahmed remained the only frontline spinner in the squad.

Reacting to the concerns, white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan said that the decision was made due to the conditions on the home grounds.

“There could be a dew factor in these conditions which is why we thought that two spinners might not be handy,” he said a day earlier.

According to Rizwan, Pakistan could make Salman Agha bowl or include Khushdil Shah in the Playing XI in case the national side needed another spinner.

Read more: Sufiyan Muqeem registers best figures for Pakistan in T20Is

“Abrar Ahmed is the first choice for the ODI squad. So, we did not give much thought about adding a second spinner,” the Pakistan captain said.

However, sources have now said that Sufiyan Muqeem will make it to Pakistan’s final squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Pertinent to note here that the emerging spinner made his ODI debut for Pakistan in the third and final ODI against South Africa in December last year.

In that game, Sufiyan Muqeem recorded impressive figures of 4/52, placing him among the top spinners with the best bowling figures on debut for Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan are currently playing in a tri-nation series involving New Zealand and South Africa.

Following the conclusion of the series, the national side will compete in the eight-team Champions Trophy 2025, set to commence on February 19.

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.