Fakhar Zaman, who was out with a hamstring injury earlier this month, has fully recovered and is back in the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE. However, two of Pakistan’s biggest names, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, have once again been left out of the T20 setup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025, which will also compete in a tri-series against Afghanistan and the UAE as preparation for the main tournament. This marks a clear shift in strategy, as the selectors and head coach Mike Hesson continue to back new players and an aggressive style of play.
Salman Agha has been handed the captaincy for both the tri-series and the Asia Cup. His leadership will be tested in a format where Pakistan have often struggled for consistency. Notably, Pakistan have never won the T20 version of the Asia Cup, though they reached the final in 2022.
Why Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan Were Dropped
Babar Azam, once the backbone of Pakistan’s batting line-up, last played a T20 international in December 2024. In the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), he scored 288 runs across ten innings for Peshawar Zalmi. His performances included impressive knocks of 56*, 53*, and 94. But despite the runs, critics pointed out his low strike rate of 128.57, which did not match Pakistan’s new aggressive T20 approach. That was one of the key reasons why he could not make the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025.
Babar was also part of the ODI series against the West Indies recently, where he scored 47, 0, and 9. His inconsistent form seems to have influenced the selectors’ decision.
Head coach Mike Hesson admitted that Babar is working hard to improve his T20 game, especially against spin and in boosting his strike rate. “It’s harsh to judge him on three games,” Hesson said at a press conference. “Babar is too good a player to ignore for long. He has the opportunity to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) and show that he has improved in those areas.”
Similarly, Mohammad Rizwan has also fallen out of Pakistan’s T20 plans. He last played in the ODI series against West Indies, scoring 53 in the opening game but then failing with 16 and 0 in the following matches. Just like Babar, Rizwan was also dropped from the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 after selectors preferred players who can score at a faster pace at the top of the order.
Despite the criticism, Hesson praised the players who replaced them, especially Sahibzada Farhan, who has already won three Player of the Match awards in just six games. “Our top order is setting the tone in T20s,” Hesson said. “We need aggressive starts, and the players we have are doing exactly that.”
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Key Inclusions and Exclusions in the Squad
The Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 has a mix of experienced names and fresh faces. Fakhar Zaman’s return after recovering from injury will strengthen the batting unit. Alongside him, young talents like Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Hasan Nawaz have been given opportunities to continue the attacking style of cricket Pakistan is aiming for.
Shaheen Afridi, who had also been out of favour in recent T20 matches, has retained his place in the squad. His presence provides much-needed experience to Pakistan’s pace attack. However, fast bowler Naseem Shah has once again been left out, as he is currently playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
One of the standout selections in the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 is Salman Mirza from Lahore Qalandars, who was Pakistan’s top wicket-taker with eight scalps in the away T20I series against Bangladesh. His form has earned him another chance. Meanwhile, Ahmed Daniyal, who impressed briefly, has not made the cut this time.
Both wrist-spinners, Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem, have been retained in the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025, giving Pakistan multiple spin options in conditions that could favour slow bowling in the UAE. The selectors seem to have stuck with the formula that worked in recent T20 series under Hesson’s coaching.
Pakistan’s recent ODI series loss to the West Indies (2-1) has had little influence on the squad selection. The management has made it clear that their focus is on sticking to an aggressive batting style in T20s, regardless of performances in other formats. This is why the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 features several hitters who can accelerate from ball one.
Hesson explained the approach: “We played on three very different surfaces over the summer. In Lahore, the pitches were flat, and our batting dominated. In Bangladesh, it was tough and low-scoring, but we still managed to adapt. In the West Indies, our openers put on 138 in one game, and that’s the kind of start we need more often. T20 cricket is about being ahead of the game all the time, and our line-up is designed to do that.”
Pakistan’s Squad for the Asia Cup and Tri-Series
Here is the official Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 and the UAE tri-series:
Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
The tri-series in the UAE against the hosts and Afghanistan will act as preparation for the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9. Pakistan will be eager to break their title drought in the T20 version of the Asia Cup and prove that their bold new approach – with the Pakistan 17-Member Squad for Asia Cup 2025 – can finally bring results.
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