The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dropped star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from their Asia Cup 2025 squad which was announced on Sunday. Salman Ali Agha will lead the Pakistan side, which will also play a tri-nation series in UAE in the lead up to the continental tournament, starting on September 9.
While fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has retained his place, there was no place for pacer Naseem Shah in the 17-member squad. In fact, it is the same squad that defeated West Indies in the T20I series earlier this month with Mohammad Waseem Jnr being the only addition.
Both Babar and Rizwan have not been in Pakistan’s T20I scheme of things for quite sometime now. The last time the duo played a T20I for Pakistan was against South Africa in December 2024. In fact, in Pakistan’s recent West Indies tour, Babar and Rizwan were a part of the ODI setup only.
Babar’s exclusion came right after the West Indies ODIs where the former captain could only manage 56 runs in three games with a top score of 47. The story is kind of similar for ODI captain Rizwan too as the wicketkeeper batter managed just fifty-plus score in his three innings. Notably, Waseem Jnr hasn’t played a T20I in over a year.
Meanwhile, prior to the Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan will play a tri-nation series involving UAE and Afghanistan, which will serve as a preparation for all the three teams. The tri-series starts will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from August 29 to September 7.
In the Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan have been drawn alongside India, UAE and Oman. The Men in Green play their first game on September 12 against Oman, followed by a clash against India two days later. They round off their group assignment against UAE on September 17.
Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025 & Tri-series
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 Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.