Basit Ali picks Champions Trophy XI with no Pakistani players, backs Rohit Sharma as captain

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has revealed his ICC Champions Trophy playing XI after the tournament concluded with India clinching a record third title in Dubai. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team defeated New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling final to lift the coveted trophy.
Interestingly, Basit Ali’s team featured no Pakistani players despite Pakistan's presence in the tournament as the host nation. Moreover, his chosen XI slightly differed from the official ICC Team of the Tournament, most notably with Rohit Sharma as captain instead of New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali justified his choices by focusing on performances in Dubai rather than those in Lahore. He made it clear that his selection was independent of the ICC’s choices, saying: "I have made my playing XI. I have looked at performances in Dubai. I agree that there have been big performances in Gaddafi, but I have made the XI which I felt is right. I will not go on the one made by ICC. My captain is Rohit Sharma. He has performed as a captain, and his 76 in the final made the match one-sided."

Basit Ali praised the performances of his chosen players, particularly highlighting Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and match-winning knock of 76 in the final. He also lauded Virat Kohli, calling him an "artist" and acknowledging his irreplaceable presence at No. 3.
"There is only one player at No. 3 - Virat Kohli. He is an artist, and only one who plays can understand how he played," Basit said.
Basit also explained the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer, emphasising his consistent contributions in the semifinal and final, stating: "He has improved a lot. His batting played a big role in India's win. In the semifinal and final, he played well and took responsibility."
The former cricketer completed his XI by including KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper, Glenn Phillips as an all-round option, and Azmatullah Omarzai as a future all-round star. Basit also chose Mitchell Santner over Axar Patel as his primary spinner, but admitted it was a tough call.


ICC Team of the Tournament
The official ICC XI had Santner as captain and included Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran, unlike Basit’s selection. However, both teams featured the likes of Kohli, Shami, Ravindra, and Phillips, reflecting their impactful performances throughout the tournament.
The exclusion of Pakistani players from Basit’s team sparked some reactions, but he stood by his picks, emphasising that the selections were purely based on performance rather than national bias. "This is my team," he concluded confidently.