Asia Cup 2025: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan Ignored! Pakistan Announce 17-Member Squad

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its 17-member squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Sharjah and the ACC Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, with two major omissions making headlines.

Former captain Babar Azam and senior wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan have not been included, marking a bold move by the selectors ahead of a crucial tournament. Even star pacer Naseem Shah also didn't make it to the squad.

The tri-series, which runs from 29 August to 7 September at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, will feature Pakistan, Afghanistan, and hosts UAE. Following that, the Asia Cup T20I will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from 9 to 28 September. Pakistan has been drawn in Group A, alongside arch-rivals India, Oman, and UAE.

The squad will be led by Salman Ali Agha, who continues to grow in stature within Pakistan cricket. Key inclusions include Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will spearhead the pace attack, supported by Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Waseem Jnr. Young talents like Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, and Abrar Ahmed also find a place, reflecting the selectors' emphasis on building a dynamic and balanced unit.

Pakistan's 17-member squad: 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, Sufyan Moqim.

The absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan is expected to spark debate among fans and experts alike, as the duo has been central to Pakistan's batting lineup in recent years, specially Rizwan. Babar on the other hand has fallen out of T20 contention in recent times. The selectors and coach Mike Hesson, seem intent on testing fresh combinations ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup next year.

With youth and experience blended in the squad, all eyes will be on how Pakistan performs in what promises to be a competitive build-up to the Asia Cup and beyond.