ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled squad combinations for the eight-team Champions Trophy set to start with the opening match between hosts Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19 at the National Bank Sports Arena in Karachi.

With less than one week to go until the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway, each nation has finalized their squad and named the players who will be in action in Pakistan and the UAE.

Pakistan retained Haris Rauf despite injury niggle with team management declaring him fit and ready for the Champions Trophy. “Haris was rested for the tri-series only he is fit and ready to represent Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. By the time Champions Trophy starts from February 19, Haris will be available to represent Pakistan,” a team official, when contacted, said.

Full squads: Group A; Pakistan: Winners in 2017, Pakistan are able to call on some their heroes from that occasion as they aim for a repeat. Fakhar Zaman, who scored a century in the final eight years ago, and Babar Azam are included, along with Faheem Ashraf.

Mohammad Rizwan captains the squad, which is missing rising star Saim Ayub through injury, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf lead the pace attack. Pakistan 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.

Bangladesh: Semi-finalists at the most recent ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in 2017, will be captained by Najmul Hossain Shanto as they bid to go further this time around. Shakib Al-Hasan and Litton Das have been left out of a squad containing the vast experience of Mahmadullah and Mushfiqur Rahim and some exciting youngsters.

Bangladesh squad: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.

India’s squad contains eight of the players who carried them to success at the most recent ICC global event, the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

They are without influential paceman Jasprit Bumrah, a late withdrawal due to a back injury. He has been replaced by Harshit Rana, 22, who made his ODI debut against England earlier this year and took 19 wickets to help Kolkata Knight Riders win last year’s IPL. Mohammed Shami, who finished as the leading wicket-taker at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 with 24, is also part of India’s seam artillery.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.

New Zealand: Mitchell Santer will captain the Black Caps for the first time at an ICC event and leads a side – and attack – containing some fresh faces. With Tim Southee and Trent Boult having stepped aside, Will O’Rourke, Nathan Smith and Ben Sears are among those hoping for opportunities to impress – they will be competing with the seasoned Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson for spots.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

Group B: Afghanistan: Afghanistan were forced into an eleventh-hour change to their squad when spinner AM Ghazanfar was ruled out with a back injury, leading to a call-up for 20-year-old left-armer Nangyal Kharoti.

They are also without influential spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman but Rashid Khan, who took just 43 matches to reach 100 ODI wickets – setting a record at the time – is included.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.

Australia squad: Australia are missing several household names, with Mitchell Starc (personal reasons) joining Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazelwood (hip) and Mitchell Marsh (back) among their absentees along with Marcus Stoinis, who has retired from ODI cricket.

Steve Smith captains in Cummins’ absence and will be an important figure in a batting line-up also featuring Travis Head, who scored a masterful 137 in Australia’s victory over India in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

England Captained by Jos Buttler, have called Tom Banton into their 15-strong squad. The 26-year-old, who is fresh from two ILT20 centuries in the UAE, replaces the injured Jacob Bethell.

The squad also includes Joe Root, recently back in the 50-over fold having not featured in the format since the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. He will play in his third ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, while Buttler, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood have also featured in the tournament previously.

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.

The Proteas suffered a late injury blow in the form of Anrich Nortje, who withdrew due to a back injury, with Corbin Bosch named as his replacement.

Temba Bavuma captains and is set to open, with Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton battling it out to partner him, while Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen make up a hard-hitting middle order.

South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch.