Pakistan announce squad for PD Champions Trophy 2025

KARACHI: The Pakistan Physical Disability Cricket Association (PPDCA) on Wednesday announced the Pakistan squad for the upcoming PD Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The tournament will run from January 12 to 21, with Pakistan’s squad aiming to deliver an impactful performance.

All-rounder Abdullah Ijaz will lead the national team, with middle-order batsman Ghulam Muhammad named as vice-captain.

The squad was announced by Amiruddin Ansari, General Secretary of the Pakistan Physical Disability Cricket Association, after receiving approval from PPDCA President Imran Balwani.

Ansari discussed the challenging selection process, highlighting the impressive performances of new and talented players at the domestic level.

"The players were selected after participating in the training and fitness camp at RLCA, alongside Head Coach Sabih Azhar, Rafi Hashmi, and Selection Committee Member Rao Javed," he said.

The Pakistan team, which will depart for Sri Lanka on January nine, will face India in their opening match on January 12.

The 10-day tournament features four teams – Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and England – competing in a round-robin format.

Each team will play the others twice, and the top two teams will advance to the final on January 21.

Notably, since the 2019 Physical Disability Series, Pakistan has made significant changes to the squad, including the inclusion of seven players and nine new talents.

Head Coach Sabih Azhar expressed confidence in the team’s abilities, stating, “This is a balanced team that can win the PD Champions Trophy.”

Pakistan Physical Disability Cricket Squad: Abdullah Ijaz (captain), Ghulam Muhammad (vice-captain), Muhammad Arsalan, Saifullah, Matloob Qureshi, Huzaifa Khan, Muhammad Noman, Shahid Wattoo, Muhammad Shahzad, Hamza Hameed, Abdul Khaliq, Zubair Saleem, Mominullah, Abdul Basit, Hamad Shaukat and Waqif Shah.

Team's support staff: Amiruddin Ansari (Head of Mission), Sabih Azhar (Head Coach), Rafi Hashmi (Assistant Coach), Rao Javed (Fielding Coach), Shakir Khalji (Video Analyst) and Muhammad Nizam (Team Manager).