On Thursday, Pakistan’s tournament in the 2025 Champions Trophy ended in a disappointing manner with their last game against Bangladesh being rain out at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Led by Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan was at the bottom of Group A without winning a single game in the entire tournament.
With the New Zealand tour just around the corner, it will be a litmus test for Pakistan as they seek to get back on track and regain their shape with a series victory. To change things around, the team can try introducing some vital alterations to the side, maybe calling back a few players who have been in hiding for a considerable amount of time.
These 3 players who could make a comeback for NZ tour:
Mohammad Wasim Jr
A major factor behind Pakistan’s struggles in the Champions Trophy was the underperformance of their fast bowling unit. While Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf managed to take two wickets each, they were unable to strike consistently, letting the team down throughout the tournament.
Given these issues, it’s possible that Mohammad Wasim Jr could make a return to the squad for the New Zealand tour.
Mohammad Haris
Pakistan’s top-order batsmen faced significant criticism for their overly defensive approach during the Champions Trophy. While Fakhar Zaman’s absence due to injury was unfortunate, the likes of Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, and Saud Shakeel adopted a slow and cautious approach, resulting in poor returns with the bat. Their lack of strike rate ultimately hurt the team’s performance.
In light of this, Mohammad Haris could be recalled to bring some much-needed dynamism to Pakistan’s top order in New Zealand. Known for his aggressive stroke play and ability to take on the bowlers, Haris could be a game-changer in the powerplay, offering Pakistan the potential for strong starts and the ability to unsettle the Kiwis on their home turf.
Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan, the experienced all-rounder, found himself out of the team after some disappointing performances. However, with Pakistan struggling to fill his role as a reliable bowling all-rounder, it’s likely that he could be brought back into the fold for the T20I series against New Zealand.
While Agha Salman has secured his place in the ODI side, his T20I form has been far from impressive, with only 50 runs from five innings at a dismal average of 10, alongside just two wickets in six matches. Given this, Pakistan may decide to turn to Shadab, who can offer both spin-bowling depth and batting stability in the middle order, to help shore up the team for the T20Is in New Zealand.
