Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Dropped As Pakistan Announce Asia Cup 2025 Squad

With the Asia Cup 2025 approaching fast, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its squad for the upcoming marquee event coming up. Set to begin on 9 September, the tournament will feature 8 teams from the Asian Region and will be conducted in group formats. With each group consisting of four teams, Pakistan is placed in Group A along with India, Oman, and the UAE.

Pakistan have also become the first team to announce its squad for the Asia Cup 2025. The Men in Green have picked up a young team with several senior players missing out. The Pakistan Asia Cup squad consists of names that have been tried by them over the last few months in this format. The team looks good and has the ability to surprise the other teams in the tournament.

Pakistan Opt For Youngsters For Asia Cup 2025

Salman Ali Agha will lead the Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025. Among the 17-member squad, there is no place for Babar Azam, one of the best T20 batsmen of modern era. The Pakistan selectors have stuck firmly to their strategy of investing in young blood instead of going back to tried options.

The squad reflects a strong shift towards young emerging players, with several senior and more experienced cricketers once again sidelined. Along with Babar, Mohammad Rizwan, who is also Pakistan's ODI captain, didn't find any place in this squad. The same squad will also feature in the T20I Tri-Series against Afghanistan and the UAE before the Asia Cup begins.

The selectors have tried to keep a mix of senior players and young players who have done well in domestic cricket. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Khushdil Shah are among the experienced names who have been retained for the tournament. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris continues as the first-choice gloveman in the absence of Rizwan. Youngsters like Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim have been given opportunities, showing that the PCB is focusing on building a new core team for the future.

This selection shows a shift towards relying more on cricketers who have been performing in leagues and domestic cricket, and also sends a message to players that, irrespective of experience, they could be left out if they miss out on consistency. With future tournaments in mind, the selectors want to give younger players consistent chances to establish themselves.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Miss Out

For the first time in eight years, Pakistan will play a T20I tournament without Babar Azam. Since his debut in 2016, Babar has been an automatic pick for Pakistan in this format and was a central figure in the batting order. His absence from the Asia Cup marks the end of a long and consistent run where he also led the team in many tournaments.

Mohammad Rizwan, who formed a famous opening pair with Babar, has also been left out. Rizwan was considered one of the most reliable batters in T20 cricket and an important wicketkeeping option. However, the selectors have decided to give more time to younger batters and wicketkeepers who play with a more attacking approach.

The Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2025 will now step into the event with a fresh look. This Pakistan Asia Cup squad is one of its youngest in history, and selectors are hoping that the decision pays off. Babar Azam Asia Cup absence could be a decisive moment in their way of playing cricket. The team management is banking on youngsters like Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Haris to deliver results in the Asia Cup and beyond.

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 Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Sufyan Moqim.