LAHORE: Pakistan has announced a 17-member squad for the upcoming tri-nation T20 series in Sharjah and the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE with star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan missing out.
The tri-nation event, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE, will be played in Sharjah from August 29 to September 7, while the Asia Cup is scheduled in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 28.
The squad was unveiled by chief selector and Director High Performance Aqib Javed alongside head coach Mike Hesson at a press conference. Salman Ali Agha has been retained as captain.
The team also includes Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Head coach Mike Hesson said the management is backing a consistent group, pointing out Pakistan’s recent run of six wins in nine matches. He highlighted the selection of Salman Mirza, citing his strong performances in Bangladesh.
Chief selector Aqib Javed added that the squad reflects continuity and confidence in in-form players like Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan. “If you don’t play with a straight bat, you shouldn’t be playing T20s,” he remarked, stressing the need for fearless cricket.
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