Asia Cup 2025: 5 Star players who missed out on Pakistan squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on August 17, announced the Pakistan squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 tournament. The same squad will also be involved in a T20I tri-series involving UAE and Afghanistan in Sharjah to prep for the Asia Cup tournament.

Salman Ali Agha remained the captain of the team that recently defeated the West Indies 2-1 in a T20I series. Reliable players like Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Afridi have kept their places in the team. For the two assignments, Mohammad Haris has been selected as the batsman and wicketkeeper.

The Pakistan T20I team also includes up-and-coming players like Sufyan Moqim, Salman Mirza, and Hasan Nawaz. Adding to the already outstanding list of names are Abrar Ahamed, Mohammed Waseem Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, and Saim Ayub.

However, there were some famed names that missed out on the Pakistan squad selection for the Asia Cup, and here are five of such star players.

Here are 5-star players who missed out on the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2025:

1. Mohammad Rizwan

Mohammad Rizwan is one of the most dependable batters in Pakistan's lineup and was the star when Pakistan defeated India for the first time in a World Cup game in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai. He has 3414 runs in 106 T20Is with a strike rate of 125.37. He is known for his ability to anchor innings and build crucial partnerships.

However, as T20 has evolved with batters taking full advantage of powerplay overs, Rizwan’s strike rate has worked against him. Pakistan has opted to go for younger, more aggressive batters in the changing scenario of T20s. Fans might argue, given his form and level of fitness, it could backfire to exclude a proven match-winner prior to a major tournament. In Pakistan's T20 setup, Rizwan's removal represents a daring change away from dependability and toward risk-taking.

2. Babar Azam

The second-highest run-getter in T20I cricket, Babar Azam finds himself at a crossroads in his T20I career. With 4223 runs in 128 T20Is with three centuries and 36 fifties, Babar has amazing numbers, but his strike rate of 129.22 is where arguments occur. There have been ongoing concerns about his strike rotation and T20 cricket strategy.

The PCB selectors made the decision to phase him out in favor of guys who could pick up speed right away and meet the demands of contemporary T20. Babar was formerly Pakistan's captain and their face in cricket; thus, his absence from T20Is was a symptom of a slow change. The selectors were hesitant to bring him back for the Asia Cup because of his lack of participation in recent series.

3. Naseem Shah

Naseem Shah, the 22-year-old pacer, also didn’t find a place in the Pakistan T20I squad for the Asia Cup 2025. He has a decent record in T20Is, with 25 wickets in 30 matches at an economy of 8.01 and best bowling of 3/21. He can also bat decently, and in times of need, his pace and aggression have been crucial, and his development as a death bowler has increased his worth.

However, it seems that the Pakistan team has decided to experiment with their pace department, which is led by Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali, three experienced bowlers. Pakistan will miss Naseem’s ability to swing the ball in the air and move it off the pitch in powerplay overs. Although his absence deprives Pakistan of a young pacer with experience, it also gives up-and-coming bowlers a chance to show off their abilities.

4. Usama Mir

Usama Mir has been one of the best T20 bowlers from Pakistan. He has excelled time and again in the Pakistan Super League, the Big Bash League, and even in the Vitality T20 Blast. However, he has failed to get the backing of Pakistan selectors in T20Is, playing only five games thus far and taking five wickets. Pakistan has decided to go with the mystery turn of Abrar Ahmed and the left-arm wrist spin of Sufiyan Moqim instead of a traditional leggie in Usama Mir.

Given his attacking approach and wrist-spin variation, many predicted Usama to be the front-runner. However, in the lack of a veteran spinner, Pakistan's selectors favored all-round spin alternatives since they felt they added more balance to the team. The difficulty of securing a position in Pakistan's packed spin department is highlighted by Usama's exclusion. It seems that Pakistan's selector preferred spinners who can bat lower down and give the team depth.

5. Shadab Khan

Shadab Khan, who once captained Pakistan in T20Is and was vice-captain some time ago, is also missing from the Asia Cup 2025 roster. He has been a pillar of Pakistan's T20I side with 112 wickets in 112 matches and 792 runs. His economy has been 7.37, and his batting strike rate is 140.17.

However, the fact that he recently injured his shoulder and underwent surgery for the same might be the reason why Pakistan omitted Shadab Khan from the Asia Cup 2025 squad. Pakistan loses a true match-winner in Shadab, who provides balance as an all-round bowler. His leadership skills and high-pressure gaming experience are equally valuable.

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