Pakistan have named their squad for the Asia Cup 2025 which will be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28. The tournament is set in the T20 format and it comes after Pakistan's tri-series in Sharjah against Afghanistan and the UAE that will run from August 29 to September 7.
With a busy schedule ahead, the selectors have gone for a mix of youth and experience but the squad announcement has already stirred discussion among fans.
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Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan miss out on T20I selection
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board's announcement, star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have once again been left out of the T20I setup. Salman Ali Agha has been named the captain - continuing in the role he took over earlier this year.
Both Babar and Rizwan had already been missing from Pakistan's recent T20I squads and their omission from the Asia Cup squad reinforces the selectors' decision to move in a new direction.
Babar last played a T20I in December 2024. He has shown flashes of form in the Pakistan Super League but struggled in the ODI series against West Indies. Rizwan has also not played in T20Is since the Bangladesh and West Indies tours and has had inconsistent performances in ODIs.
Fakhar Zaman returns from injury for Asia Cup 2025
One boost for Pakistan is the return of opener Fakhar Zaman who missed recent matches due to a hamstring injury. His inclusion strengthens the batting order.
The tri-series in Sharjah will give the team a chance to settle its combinations before heading into the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi.
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.