Lahore, Jan. 31 -- Opener Saim Ayub failed to win the race against time after he couldn't feature in Pakistan's 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The Men in Green won the last Champions Trophy event held in 2017. This time, Pakistan are hosting this 2025 edition, along with the UAE.

Mohammad Rizwan will lead the team, having done so since Babar Azam stepped down from the role after the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2023. This is the first 50-over ICC tournament since then.

Rising star hitter Saim Ayub is a notable absentee, having sustained an ankle injury in Pakistan's New Year's Test in Cape Town, South Africa.

"We understand how much he was looking forward ...