Cricket fans were left surprised after Pakistan announced its squad for the Asia Cup and upcoming triangular series, excluding star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Salman Ali Agha has been named captain for the tournament.
Selector Aqib Javed said the lineup reflects recent performances and player availability, noting that most players featured in the last three series. He highlighted contributions from Hasan Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and Sahibzada Farhan.
Head coach Mike Hesson stressed the focus on T20 preparations, underlining the need to build squad depth. He praised the bowling form of Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali, while also noting that conditions in Sharjah, which favor spin, will provide a tough test for the team.
Officials added that the decision is aimed at preparing a balanced side while testing new combinations ahead of major tournaments.
Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup 2025 & Tri-Series
Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Salman Mirza, Hasan Ali, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr
A big shocking news for cricket fans was on media that Babar Azam hit with surprising downgrade from PCB’s Category A central contracts
