Aakash Chopra picks Pakistan's probable playing XI for 2025 Champions Trophy, doesn't choose Babar Azam as an opener

Former India player Aakash Chopra has picked Pakistan's probable playing XI for the 2025 Champions Trophy. He chose Saud Shakeel, and not Babar Azam, to partner Fakhar Zaman at the top of the order.

The 2025 Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards. Pakistan have been searching for an opening partner for Fakhar after Saim Ayub was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury, with Babar batting at the top of the order in the recent tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener chose Pakistan's probable XI for the ICC event and kept Babar as the No. 3 batter.

"What will their predicted XI be like? I am thinking Saud Shakeel with Fakhar Zaman as Saim Ayub is not there now. Babar Azam at No. 3, Mohammad Rizwan at No. 4, and then Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed," he said (10:00).

Chopra named Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah and Abrar Ahmed as three Pakistan players who will garner a little extra attention.

"There will be a little extra focus on three players - Saud Shakeel because we will properly see him playing for the first time, Khushdil Shah because he is a proven all-rounder in T20s, he has a golden arm as well, but can he do that job in ODIs, and Abrar Ahmed as he is slightly underrated and not many people have seen him or played against him," he observed.

Aakash Chopra opined that Pakistan should reach the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy if they play to their potential. However, he added that the Men in Green would have to beat at least one of New Zealand and India to reach the knockouts as Bangladesh are unlikely to win a game.

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"They will want to revolve their entire batting around Babar and Rizwan" - Aakash Chopra on Pakistan's potential strategies in 2025 Champions Trophy

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been Pakistan's star performers with the bat in the last few years. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Pakistan will look to play a lot of all-rounders, with their batting potentially revolving around Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"When you look at their team, it seems like they are searching for options. They want batting till No. 8 or No. 9 and a few spin-bowling all-rounders, with Faheem Ashraf also doing both jobs. They will want to revolve their entire batting around Babar and Rizwan. I am extremely interested to see how Saud Shakeel plays because he will get a place in the top three this time," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Babar's performances usually define Pakistan's results.

"They are still reliant a lot on Babar Azam - 6000 ODI runs and the speed at which he has reached this far. Babar Azam's performances and Pakistan's wins are close-knitted to each other. He and Mohammad Rizwan are their batting mainstays," Chopra observed.

Babar Azam recently became the joint-fastest player, alongside Hashim Amla, to 6,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in 123 innings. The former Pakistan captain has amassed 6,019 runs at an average of 55.73 in 123 ODI innings heading into the 2025 Champions Trophy.