Pakistan Squad For Asia Cup 2025: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its team for the 2025 Asia Cup. The PCB has announced a 17-member team for the tri-series and Asia Cup to be played in the UAE. Star batsman Babar Azam and ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan have not been included in this team. Salman Ali Agha has been declared the captain in both the events. He has been leading the T20 team since the beginning of this year.
There was speculation that senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan would be recalled to the T20 team, but this did not happen. Pakistan selectors have stuck to their strategy and selected young and talented players for the upcoming T20 tri-series and Asia Cup 2025.
Shaheen Afridi will lead the fast bowling attack. Fast bowler Haris Rauf has also been selected to support him. Reliable batsmen Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah are the only senior players who have gained the confidence of the selectors for the upcoming challenges. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris has also retained his place.
Let us tell you that before the Asia Cup, the Pakistani team has to play a triangular series in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in which teams from Afghanistan and UAE will also participate. The same Pakistani team that has to play the Asia Cup will participate in the triangular series. Through the triangular series, these three teams will want to strengthen their preparations for the Asia Cup.
Tri-Series Schedule (All matches to be played in Sharjah)
29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan
30 August – UAE v Pakistan
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan
4 September – Pakistan v UAE
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE
7 September – Final
The eight-team Asia Cup tournament will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from 9 to 28 September. In this tournament, Pakistan has been placed in Group A along with India, Oman and UAE. Group B consists of Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Pakistan's group fixtures in the Asia Cup:
12 September – Oman v Pakistan, Dubai
14 September – India v Pakistan, Dubai
17 September – UAE v Pakistan, Dubai.
Pakistan Squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim.
So far, Pakistan have featured in the continental tournament on 15 occasions. They've won it twice, under Moin Khan's captaincy in 2000 and in Mishabh-ul-Haq's leadership in 2012.
On the other hand according to the report published in Indian Express, the Indian team can be announced on August 19. However, no official information has come from BCCI about this till now. India is the defending champion of the tournament. India won the Asia Cup in ODI format last time i.e. in 2023.