No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan: Pakistan Announce Asia Cup 2025 Squad Under Salman Agha
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which will also feature in the UAE tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts. In a major talking point, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have both been excluded from the T20I squad. Instead, Salman Agha has been named as captain, continuing Pakistan’s recent strategy of experimenting with new leadership in the shorter format.
The Asia Cup, set to begin on September 9 in the UAE, will serve as an important preparatory tournament ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Babar Azam’s Exclusion: Strike Rate Concerns
Babar Azam, Pakistan’s most celebrated batter of the last decade, has not been part of the T20I setup since December 2024. While he continues to be a mainstay in ODIs and Tests, his role in the T20 side has been under scrutiny. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
In the PSL 2025 season, Babar scored 288 runs in 10 innings for Peshawar Zalmi, including scores of 56, 53, and 94**, but his overall strike rate of 128.57 failed to silence critics who have questioned his ability to accelerate against spin and in the middle overs. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged that Babar remains world-class but emphasized the need for him to adapt his T20 game:
“There’s no doubt Babar’s been asked to improve in some areas around taking on spin and in terms of his strike rate. Those are things he’s working hard on. At the moment, the players we have are performing exceptionally well, so the door is open for him to show progress, perhaps in leagues like the BBL.”
Mohammad Rizwan’s Snub
Rizwan, Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter, finds himself in a similar position. Despite being among the top T20 run-scorers globally in 2021–22, his recent form has dipped. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
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He has not featured in Pakistan’s last three T20I series (vs Bangladesh home, Bangladesh away, West Indies away).
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In the recent ODI series against West Indies, Rizwan scored 53, 16, and 0.
His omission, coupled with Babar’s, marks a radical departure from the tried-and-tested opening duo that once formed the backbone of Pakistan’s T20 strategy. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Salman Agha to Lead
With Pakistan looking for fresh leadership, Salman Agha has been handed the captaincy. Known more for his temperament and batting consistency than flamboyance, Agha represents Pakistan’s new philosophy of building a fearless, adaptable squad. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
He will be tasked with guiding an aggressive batting-heavy lineup—a philosophy championed by Hesson since taking charge. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Fakhar Zaman Returns from Injury
A positive for Pakistan is the return of Fakhar Zaman, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury earlier this month. Fakhar’s ability to take the attack to bowlers in the powerplay provides Pakistan with an explosive option at the top of the order. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Shaheen Afridi Retained, Naseem Shah Misses Out
Another big development is the retention of Shaheen Afridi, who had been dropped from certain T20 series earlier this year. Shaheen’s left-arm pace and experience make him crucial for Pakistan in UAE conditions.
However, Naseem Shah continues to miss out. Currently playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Naseem was not considered, with the selectors preferring form players like Salman Mirza, who impressed against Bangladesh with 8 wickets. No Babar Azam No Mohammad Rizwan
Spin Options Secure
Pakistan have opted to retain both specialist wrist-spinners:
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Abrar Ahmed
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Sufiyan Muqeem
Their inclusion reflects Pakistan’s desire to attack with spin in UAE conditions. Additionally, all-round options like Mohammad Nawaz and Khushdil Shah provide depth.
Pakistan’s Aggressive Batting Philosophy
Explaining the squad’s composition, Hesson reiterated Pakistan’s attack-first strategy:
“Our top order sets the game up. In Lahore, batting-friendly conditions helped us dominate. In Bangladesh, we adapted to low-scoring matches. In the West Indies, our openers gave us 138 runs in a single game. In T20s, we must stay ahead of the game and keep the run rate high. This squad has the balance to do just that.”
Hesson’s approach has clearly influenced the squad—power-hitters like Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Hasan Nawaz have been backed over experienced campaigners like Babar and Rizwan.
Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad
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Salman Agha (capt)
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Abrar Ahmed
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Faheem Ashraf
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Fakhar Zaman
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Haris Rauf
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Hasan Ali
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Hasan Nawaz
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Hussain Talat
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Khushdil Shah
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Mohammad Haris (wk)
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Mohammad Nawaz
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Mohammad Wasim
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Sahibzada Farhan
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Saim Ayub
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Salman Mirza
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Shaheen Shah Afridi
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Sufiyan Muqeem
Key Takeaways
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Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan omitted – signals shift towards aggressive T20 batting.
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Salman Agha named captain – new leadership direction.
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Fakhar Zaman returns – boost at the top of the order.
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Shaheen Afridi back, Naseem Shah still out – bowling spearhead re-established.
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Emphasis on power-hitters & wrist-spin – UAE conditions suit this balance.
Pakistan have never won the T20 Asia Cup—their best finish came in 2022 when they lost the final. This squad represents a bold experiment ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. While fans may be shocked at the absence of Babar and Rizwan, Hesson’s faith in new faces could redefine Pakistan’s T20 identity.
Whether this gamble pays off will be seen when Pakistan face UAE and Afghanistan in the tri-series before the Asia Cup kicks off on September 9, 2025.
