Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan's Strength, Weaknesses, Schedule, Squad, Playing XI and More

We just have a month left until the Champions Trophy, which is returning after an eight-year gap. This tournament of eight top teams will feature exciting contests and matches. Pakistan, the defending Champion, will be closely watched. Along with the defending champions, the team is also the host of the Champions Trophy 2025, which will give the team an advantage. This article will discuss Pakistan's strengths, weaknesses, team squad, best playing 11, and more.

Hosts and The Defending champions

Pakistan is hosting the tournament after several hurdles. Recently, India's demand not to travel to Pakistan for its matches created a big issue, which led to the delay in the announcement of the Champions Trophy schedule. India cited security reasons for not travelling to Pakistan. ICC India and Pakistan solved the issue in December, stating that in the upcoming ICC events, the matches between both teams will be held at a neutral venue. 

Pakistan is also the defending champion of the Champions Trophy. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final, Pakistan defeated India. The match featured a fabulous innings from Fakhar Zaman, who scored 134 runs in the first innings. When India came to chase, it collapsed like a house of cards in front of the lethal bowling of Mohamed Amir and Hasan Ali, leading to Pakistan's First Champions Trophy victory.

Previous performance

Strengths 

Home Advantage 

Pakistan will enjoy a home advantage because the tournament will be hosted by Pakistan and co-hosted by the UAE. While the team will play most of its matches in Pakistan, it also has long-standing experience playing in the UAE. 

Strong Bowling Attack

Pakistan has a strong bowling attack, especially a strong pace attack. In the Champions Trophy 2017 Final, Pakistan pacers Mohammed Amir and Hasan Ali played a huge role in the 180-run victory.

Pakistan Bowling Attack

Weaknesses 

Inconsistent batting

The weak middle order is a challenge for the Pakistan team to overcome in the tournament. As it heavily relies on the top order, the team is vulnerable to early collapse, showcasing its weaknesses.

Political challenge: Mental Challenges

After several hurdles, Pakistan will host the ICC tournament. This involves a lot of politics inside the tournament management, which can lead to mental baggage since the tournament is hosted in Pakistan. The team might face criticism and backlash for losing, as we have seen in the past, especially in the match against their arch-rival, India. 

Pakistan team has the opportunity to become the first team to win the Champions Trophy consecutively. The team already won the tournament in 2017 and has a nice chance to win again with a home advantage.

Threats: Security concern 

Though not directly related to the team playing on the ground, Cricket in Pakistan faces a major security challenge, as we have seen in the past.

Pakistan's Best Playing XI For Champions Trophy

Pakistan Matches in Champions Trophy

India vs Pakistan

The much-awaited India versus Pakistan match will be played on 23rd February in Dubai. After BCCI's demand not to travel to Pakistan due to security reasons, all of India’s Matches will be played in Dubai, and both the teams will be playing against each other in an ODI match after one and a half years since World Cup 2023.

Pakistan Squad

Champions Trophy 2025 Full Schedule