Pakistan’s plans for the Asia Cup 2025 have changed drastically, with the national selectors omitting star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the 17-member squad. The tournament will take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28 and will be a preparation opportunity leading to the T20 World Cup next year. This move, surprising to many, comes with the importance the pair have played in Pakistan’s batting in the past few years.
Head coach Mike Hesson stated that Babar Azam will need to work on certain parts of his T20 game, mainly regarding how he plays against spin and his strike rate in general, and that he could benefit by playing in some leagues, like the Big Bash in Australia, as a lead-up to playing for Pakistan. Rizwan has also been asked to adjust his scoring pace, with selectors favouring younger replacements that produce a more aggressive approach while batting in the powerplay overs. Chief selector Aaqib Javed stated both players have been given directions to work towards and both have a way back if they can show improvements.
The decision has received some mixed reaction from former cricketers; Mohammad Hafeez said the players that matter are the ones who finish matches and did not believe Babar and Rizwan had been doing their jobs consistently in T20s, while another legendary batsman Javed Miandad asked how it made sense to leave out two of Pakistan’s most experienced performers and what exactly were the selectors expected to see now that they have been removed.
Despite the controversial nature of the selection, the squad consists of a combination of senior players and fresh names with Salman Ali Agha captaining the team and experienced senior players such as Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Afridi expected to take the mantle of senior players and mentor the brand new set of younger players. The squad also features exciting young players such as Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Haris, in creating a more dynamic top order for Pakistan.
Pakistan Announce Asia Cup 2025 Squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan (wk), and Abbas Afridi.
Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 campaign will start against Oman in Dubai on September 12, and the second game will be against India on September 14. The management have put together a young and aggressive squad and are hopeful the different approach will pay off; however, the absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan continues to overshadow coverage of Pakistani cricket.