Salman Ali Agha to Lead Pakistan as Babar Azam Sits Out
Selectors opted for aggressive batters as Babar Azam, Rizwan and Naseem were dropped from the squad.
Pakistan cricket has named its squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, with major exclusions grabbing headlines. The selectors dropped Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and pacer Naseem Shah, citing strike-rate issues and poor form. The management preferred aggressive players, while Salman Ali Agha was announced as captain.
Babar and Rizwan, who featured in the last Asia Cup squad, were not considered this time, which did not surprise many fans. “Babar Azam has been Pakistan’s best batter across all formats, but his strike rate in the game’s shortest format was an issue for the team. He has a strike rate of 129, and it has pushed Pakistan cricket on the back foot. Babar’s inability to shift gears in T20Is has led to his exclusion from the Asia Cup squad.”
Similarly, Rizwan’s T20I strike rate of 125 worked against him, with selectors keen on players who can play more aggressively. Naseem Shah, meanwhile, struggled with injuries and inconsistent form, leading to his omission.
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The squad includes Mohammad Wasim Jr, who earned a recall after strong domestic performances. The pacer last played a T20I in January 2024 but was overlooked since then. His return bolsters Pakistan’s pace attack for the Asia Cup.
Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Sufyan Moqim.
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Last Updated on August 17, 2025
