Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Dropped as Pakistan Names Asia Cup 2025 Squad

Pakistan National Cricket Team have announced their squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, and the selectors have taken some bold calls. Former captain Babar Azam, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Naseem Shah have all been left out of the team.

The decision is not a shock to many fans. Both Babar and Rizwan faced criticism for their low strike rates in T20 cricket. While Babar has been Pakistan’s most dependable batter across formats, his strike rate of 129 in T20Is has often slowed the team down. Rizwan too has struggled to accelerate, striking at 125, which the selectors felt was not enough for the modern game.

Naseem Shah, meanwhile, has been battling injuries and inconsistent form. With other pace options available, the management decided to move forward without him.

Agha Salman to Lead Pakistan

Middle-order batter Agha Salman has been trusted with the captaincy. He will lead the same squad in the Asia Cup as well as the tri-series against UAE and Afghanistan. The squad includes aggressive batters like Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Haris, who are expected to bring a fearless approach.

The full squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

Mohammad Wasim Jr Returns

One of the notable inclusions is Mohammad Wasim Jr. The fast bowler last played a T20I in January 2024 but impressed with strong performances in domestic cricket. His return strengthens Pakistan’s bowling attack for the Asia Cup challenge.

Pakistan’s move to leave out two of their biggest names shows a clear shift towards aggressive batting. The Asia Cup will now test if this new-look side can deliver in crunch games without their most experienced players.