The ICC announced the Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament, with no Pakistani player included. The ICC clarified that only the host board’s head is invited, and since Naqvi did not attend, no PCB official participated. Despite controversies, the Champions Trophy 2025 concluded successfully, with India lifting the title for the third time.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament, with no Pakistani player making the final XI. The squad, led by New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, includes five Indian cricketers and four from New Zealand.
India, the tournament winner, dominated the selection after their thrilling final victory against New Zealand. Afghanistan also made history with two players in the squad following their maiden Champions Trophy win in the group stage.
New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, the tournament’s top scorer with 263 runs, was an obvious choice. He is joined by Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran, who made the highest-ever Champions Trophy score of 177 against England.
India’s Virat Kohli was selected at number three after scoring 218 runs, including an unbeaten century against Pakistan. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul also made the cut, with Iyer being India’s top run-scorer and Rahul averaging 140. Glenn Phillips of New Zealand was picked at number six for his outstanding fielding and batting contributions.
Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai, an all-rounder, was impressed with seven wickets and 126 runs. Santner, named captain, played a crucial role with nine wickets. India’s Mohammed Shami, New Zealand’s Matt Henry, and India’s Varun Chakravarthy completed the bowling attack. Axar Patel was named the 12th man.
PCB Faced Problems All Over The Tournamet
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed disappointment over the exclusion of its officials from the tournament’s closing ceremony. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was not present, and no Pakistani representative was seen on stage during the awards presentation. The PCB has decided to lodge a formal protest with the ICC.
The ICC clarified that only the host board’s head is invited to such events, and since Naqvi was absent, no PCB official took part. The PCB has previously raised concerns over other issues, including the omission of Pakistan’s name from the tournament logo and the accidental playing of the Indian national anthem during a match in Lahore.
Despite the controversies, the Champions Trophy 2025 was successfully completed, with India lifting the title for the third time.
