Babar Azam and Rizwan dropped from Pakistan's Asia Cup Squad

No Babar and Riwan in Asia Cup Squad

Pakistan’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 had notable players missing. Led by Salman Ali Agha, the team did not have the senior batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, in the team. The omissions of both Babar and Rizwan might not have been a big surprise, given that the two players were not part of the recent T20I squads. The last game for each of the two batters in the format came in December 2024. Both batters have had struggles with their strike rate, and as the game continues to modernize, it is becoming harder to have players of their skillset to be in the team. 

Pakistan’s Squad: Salman Agha (C), 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 Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

Key players set to return to Pakistan squad ahead of Asia Cup 

With the Tri-Nation series and the Asia Cup fast approaching, the Pakistan selection panel is expected to announce their 16 member squad to jet off to the UAE sometime next week. However, reports suggest that the selection panel is set to take some big calls and two of their star performers in the past are going to return along with Babar Azam.

Star Pakistani batter, Fakhar Zaman who has been missing from action post picking up a hamstring injury is reported to be back in the team’s plans for the Tri-Nation T20I series against Afghanistan and UAE. Fakhar Zaman is expected to make a full recovery from his hamstring injury and will be assessed by Pakistan Cricket Board’s medical panel at the National Cricket Academy in Karachi. Post assessment Fakhar Zaman is all set to be included in Pakistan's T20I squad jetting to the UAE. However, the report has maintained that Fakhar Zaman’s inclusion depends on his fitness clearance by the medial panel despite his injury not being deemed to be serious.

Not just Fakhar Zaman, Pakistani fast bowler, Salman Mirza is also expected to mark his return to the Pakistan Cricket team fold as he’s also on the tentative list of players that are expected to make the return to the Pakistan T20I side ahead of the Tri-nation series 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025. Additionally, Shadab Khan who’s been a stalwart all-rounder and consistent presence in the Pakistan national team for the past five years is expected to be dropped by the selection committee from the 16 member squad for the Tri-nation series and the Asia Cup. The decision comes after a string of disappointing performances from the all-rounder has deemed Shadab Khan surplus to the requirements of the Pakistan Cricket Team.  

While, the announcement for the 16-member squad is yet to be made, but Pakistan under the new leadership of Mike Hesson and Salman Ali Agha look hell bent to repair their damaged reputation and will be hoping they can signal a new dawn for Pakistan cricket as they will be hoping to win the Tri-nation series and win the Asia Cup 2025. 

Afghanistan, Pakistan and UAE, Tri-nation Series schedule 

The tri-nation series between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the UAE is all set to start from Friday, 29th August, 2025, with the first match between Afghanistan and Pakistan at Sharjah. The Tri-nation series will follow a standard format with each team playing two matches against each other, and the teams that finish in the top two will compete with each other in the final on Thursday, 7th September at Sharjah. All the matches are set to be played at the same venue at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. 

Pakistan and India could potentially face each other three times in Asia Cup 2025

The Asia Cup 2025 that is scheduled to start from the 9th of September will be held in the UAE. With the schedule and groups of the 2025 Asia Cup out already, Pakistan and India are set to feature against each other as they’re in the same pool - Group A. Their group stage encounter will be played on Sunday, 14th September at the Dubai International Stadium. If both teams progress into the Super 4s and enter into the final then they will face each other three times in the competition. 

Given the recent border conflict and India’s Operation Sindoor in response to Pakistan’s terrorist group’s Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, major questions have been posed on the tie between India and Pakistan. BCCI has been pressured to not play against Pakistan but the Emirates Cricket Board’s COO Subhan Ahmed talked ot Pakistani media and said that the match is under no risk to be called off but he refused to give a ‘formal confirmation’. 

The Asia Cup is scheduled to start from the 9th September,  and both India and Pakistan enter into the tournament as firm favourites to win the whole thing. Here is the entire Asia Cup schedule for the 2025 season. 

Asia Cup 2025 Schedule