Pakistan Announced Team for Asia Cup 2025: No Babar and Rizwan
Asia Cup 2025 is just around the corner, and all participating nations are now announcing their squads. After Bangladesh revealed their team, Pakistan has also come forward with their 17-member squad for the tournament. The most surprising latest cricket match news today from Khelostar News is that star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have not been included. Instead, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will lead the side in the UAE.
The Asia Cup will take place from 9 September to 28 September in the UAE, and before that Pakistan will also feature in a Tri-Series against Afghanistan and the UAE.
Squad of Pakistan for Asia Cup 2025
The squad announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has brought both expected faces and some shocking exclusions. The selectors are looking to test new talent, but many fans believe dropping Babar and Rizwan could be a gamble ahead of such a big tournament.
- Opening Department: Fakhar Zaman makes his return after recovering from his hamstring injury. Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub can provide the aggressive starts.
- Middle Position: In the middle, the team has skipper Salman Ali Agha. Along with him, Hussain Talat and Khushdil Shah will be key batters who have to hold the innings and finish the game when required.
- Wicketkeeping: Mohammad Haris will keep the wickets.
- Bowling Attack: Shaheen Afridi will once again lead the pace bowling along with Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf. Mohammad Wasim has also been given a chance. Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed have been selected as the spin bowlers in the squad.
Complete Pakistan Team Squad for Asia Cup 2025
| Player Name | Role |
| Salman Ali Agha (C) | All-rounder |
| Abrar Ahmed | Spin Bowler |
| Faheem Ashraf | All-rounder |
| Fakhar Zaman | Opening Batter |
| Haris Rauf | Fast Bowler |
| Hasan Ali | Fast Bowler |
| Hasan Nawaz | Batter |
| Hussain Talat | Middle Order Batter |
| Khushdil Shah | Batter/All-rounder |
| Mohammad Haris | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Mohammad Nawaz | All-rounder (Spin) |
| Mohammad Wasim | Fast Bowler |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Opening Batter |
| Saim Ayub | Batter |
| Salman Mirza | Fast Bowler |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | Fast Bowler |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | Spin Bowler |
Indian Cricket Team News: India’s Expected Squad for Asia Cup 2025
Big Players Miss Out
This year, some big names are not considered in the Pakistan squad. The big surprise omission of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The one specific reason behind this exclusion is their strike rate.
Many former players and experts in Pakistan are unhappy with this move, saying experience like theirs is needed before a big tournament such as the Asia Cup. But the PCB has made it clear that they want to test new options and back Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy.
Now the real test will be in UAE conditions, with India in the same group. Pakistan is chasing its third Asia Cup trophy, and the focus will be on how this fresh-looking squad handles the pressure.