Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup 2025 Announced: Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan Omitted

The Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2025 has been revealed, with the tournament scheduled to commence on September 9th. Salman Ali Agha will captain the Pakistani cricket team. A significant surprise is the exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the team. The squad includes: Salman Ali (C), Abrar, Faheem, Fakhar, Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Talat, Khushdil Shah, Haris (WK), Nawaz, Waseem Jnr, Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen, and Sufyan Moqim. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has prioritized the inclusion of younger players, a decision made after disappointing performances by top batsmen and the ODI defeat against the West Indies. In the third and final ODI, the West Indies secured a 202-run victory, winning the series 2-1. Pakistan was bowled out for a mere 92 runs while chasing a target of 295. Five Pakistani players – Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan and Abrar Ahmed were all out without scoring. Salman Ali Agha managed 30 runs. Babar Azam scored only 9 runs, extending his streak to 72 international innings without a century, raising concerns about his form.