Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi finally broke his silence on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan being dropped from the team’s 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, saying he doesn’t have a say in the matter as the final call remains with the selection committee. Recently, Pakistan selectors stunned everyone by leaving the two senior pros out of the team despite losing the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
Pakistan selectors left out seasoned batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan while announcing their 17-member squad for the tri-series in the United Arab Emirates followed by the Asia Cup. The PCB announced the squad on its website featuring senior fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Wasim and left-arm bowler Salman Mirza.
In the lead-up to the Asia Cup which will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9, the Salman Ali Agha-led side will play a tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts UAE at Sharjah from August 29 to September 7.
Among the players overlooked for the outing, the snub of Babar and Rizwan hogged immense limelight. Once an automatic pick for Pakistan in the format, the two are now struggling to find a place in the T20I side. Both of the players last played a game for the country in the format in December 2024.
During the squad announcement, head coach Mike Hesson and chief selector Aqib Javed stated that the duo have been asked to work on their game and improve their strike rate.
Pakistan will be led by Salman Ali Agha in the Asia Cup, beginning September 9. The side are placed in Group A alongside India, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The PCB continues to receive flak for leaving out Babar and Rizwan despite the team’s mixed results without them in the shortest format. The duo was shown the door from the T20I team after the Champions Trophy, and both batters continue to be in exile.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has finally broken his silence on the senior batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan getting dropped from the T20I side and not being picked in the 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi breaks his silence regarding Babar, Rizwan’s exclusion from Asia Cup 2025
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has distanced himself from the omission of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, insisting he played no part in the decision.
Amid all the backlash, Naqvi ended up saying that he doesn’t have a say in the matter as the final call remains with the selection committee. Recently, Pakistan selectors stunned everyone by leaving Babar and Rizwan out of the team despite losing the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
During the squad announcement, head coach Mike Hesson and chief selector Aqib Javed stated that the duo have been asked to work on their game and improve their strike rate.
“First of all, I don’t have even 1 per cent role in putting players into the team or taking them out. We have a selection committee and then an advisory body; they all sit together. The process goes through a lot — discussions that last 8–10 hours, sometimes for 2–3 days,” Naqvi told local reporters, according to the Times of India.
“Definitely, if a team is being selected, it’s in good hands; all professionals are there. I’ve only told them one thing — whatever decision they take, it should be on merit, and I will support that,” he added.
While announcing the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup, selector Aqib Javed made it clear that the management have sent Babar and Rizwan guidelines on how they can get back into the scheme of things when it comes to T20s. He stated that the duo can earn their place back provided they do well in domestic matches, saying they will have ample chances to show their worth in various competitions across the world.
Without mincing his words, Javed stated that the team currently have better players than the duo in T20s and hence they have looked past them.
Pakistan will be captained by Salman Ali Agha in the Asia Cup 2025, which is scheduled to be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28. They are placed in Group A alongside India, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.