The Pakistan Cricket Board has maintained its policy of excluding former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I setup, announcing a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and tri-nation series that will be led by Salman Agha.
Squad Composition and Leadership
The PCB revealed on Sunday that Salman Agha will captain the team for both the tri-series involving Afghanistan and the UAE, scheduled from August 29 to September 7 in Sharjah, and the Asia Cup, which runs from September 9 to 28 across venues in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The continued absence of Babar and Rizwan extends their exclusion from Pakistan’s T20I format, with neither player featuring in the shortest format since December 2024. Their omission spans multiple series under head coach Mike Hesson’s tenure.
Both players were similarly overlooked for the recent T20I series against the West Indies, where Pakistan suffered a 2-1 defeat. While they participated in the ODI portion of that tour, their performances failed to prevent Pakistan’s first series loss to the West Indies since 1991.
Selection Philosophy and Future Prospects
Chief Selector and Director High Performance Centre Aqib Javed addressed the high-profile exclusions during a press conference in Lahore, emphasizing that opportunities remain available for the experienced duo.
“We are not saying Babar and Rizwan will never return to the T20 squad,” Javed stated. “Whoever performs will be considered for selection. Discussions have taken place with both players, and they’ve been given guidance on areas to improve.”
Javed explained that the squad selection followed extensive consultations with team management, including the captain, with recent performance serving as the primary criterion for inclusion.
Notably absent from the squad are fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi, indicating a broader reshaping of Pakistan’s T20I personnel.
Squad Balance and Returning Players
The selected team features several established names, including pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi and versatile batsman Fakhar Zaman, who returns to the squad following recovery from a hamstring injury.
Emerging talents Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan have retained their positions after demonstrating significant improvement in recent performances, reflecting the selectors’ commitment to youth development alongside experienced players.
The wicket-keeping responsibilities will fall to Mohammad Haris, while the bowling attack combines pace options like Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali with spin variations provided by Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz.
Coaching Staff Confidence
Head coach Mike Hesson expressed satisfaction with the team’s recent trajectory in the T20 format, highlighting improved results as justification for the current selection approach.
“The team has been performing well in the T20 format, winning six of our last nine matches,” Hesson noted. “One of the losses came on the final ball. Our focus is on winning—and doing it consistently.”
This performance record appears to support the selectors’ decision to maintain continuity with players who have contributed to recent successes.
Tournament Schedule and Key Fixtures
Pakistan will commence their Asia Cup Group A campaign against Oman on September 12 in Dubai, followed by the tournament’s marquee fixture against India on September 14 at the same venue.
The tri-series preceding the Asia Cup will provide valuable preparation time for the squad to gel under Agha’s leadership and test tactical approaches against quality opposition.
Complete Squad Listing
Pakistan T20I Squad:
- Captain: Salman Agha
- Batsmen: Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub
- Wicket-keeper: Mohammad Haris
- All-rounders: Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza
- Fast bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr
- Spinners: Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Nawaz, Sufyan Moqim
The squad composition reflects Pakistan’s strategy of blending experienced campaigners with promising young talent while maintaining tactical flexibility across batting, bowling, and fielding departments.
