Pakistan announces squad for Asia Cup 2025; no place for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan

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Pakistan have announced their squad for the Asia Cup 2025, set to be played in the UAE, and the selection has already sparked debate among fans. While the team looks balanced with a mix of youth and experience, the absence of two of the country’s biggest names—Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan—has caught everyone’s attention.

In a surprising move, Pakistan have announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, with star batters Babar and Rizwan missing from the list. The selectors have opted for a blend of experience and young talent, placing their faith in a new leadership group. Salman Agha has been appointed as captain of the side.

Both Babar and Rizwan have not been part of Pakistan’s recent T20I assignments and their absence from the Asia Cup squad confirms the selectors’ intention to look beyond the two senior batters, at least in the shortest format.

Babar, who last featured in a T20I in December 2024, showcased glimpses of form in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) with scores of 56*, 53*, and 94 for Peshawar Zalmi. However, he struggled in the ODI series against West Indies with scores of 47, 0, and 9. Rizwan, similarly, has not been in Pakistan’s T20I mix since the Bangladesh and West Indies tours earlier this year. He too had mixed outings in the recent ODI series, registering 53 in the first match but failing in the next two with scores of 16 and 0.

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One of the positives for Pakistan is the return of left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman. He had been sidelined due to a hamstring injury suffered in the West Indies but has regained fitness in time for the Asia Cup. His inclusion adds depth to Pakistan’s top order. Before heading into the Asia Cup, Pakistan will also feature in a tri-series against hosts UAE and Afghanistan. This will provide the team with an opportunity to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the major tournament.

Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

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