Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @icctrophytour
Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, Sindh’s provincial sports minister, Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, sparked controversy by threatening to form a separate cricket board for Sindh if local players continue to be overlooked for national selection.
During the opening of a provincial youth conference organized by the Sindh government, Mahar voiced his dissatisfaction with the treatment of Sindh cricketers, stating that they were not being given the opportunities they deserved.
Mahar pointed out that cricket is not solely the domain of Punjab or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but is a sport with deep roots in Sindh as well. He expressed frustration over the exclusion of many talented Sindh players, who he believes have the potential to represent the national team but have been sidelined.
“Our players are often sitting in the dugout while others take the field,” Mahar said, adding that Sindh would take action if the situation didn’t improve by forming its own cricket board.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed the squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 and the tri-nation series featuring Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa. Fakhar Zaman made his comeback to the team as the squad was announced, with the tournament set to begin on February 19 and run until March 9.
In a statement, the PCB confirmed four changes to the 15-player squad that had previously competed in the South Africa ODI series in late 2024. Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sufyan Moqim were replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Saud Shakeel. Mohammad Rizwan was named captain of the squad, with Salman Ali Agha as vice-captain. The squad includes three members from Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy-winning team—Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, and Fakhar Zaman.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
