Two Pakistan Cricketers Face Uncertain Future For Asia Cup & T20 World Cup

All eyes are now on the PCB’s final squad announcement for Asia Cup 2025 to see what direction Pakistan’s selectors will take.

Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has been absent from the T20 International setup for over a year.

Source : PTI

Preparations for Asia Cup 2025 are in full swing, with the tournament scheduled to begin on 9 September. This year’s edition will be played in the T20 format, and participating teams are expected to announce their final squads by the end of August.

While fans eagerly await India’s team list, there is also a lot of focus on Pakistan’s squad — and reports suggest that two of their biggest names, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, might not make the cut.

Babar Azam’s T20 absence continues

Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has been absent from the T20 International setup for over a year.

Even during Pakistan’s recent T20 series against the West Indies, he was left out. In fact, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has overlooked him for the last four T20 series, although he did feature in the ODI series against the Caribbean side.

Poor form adds to selection worries

Hopes were high that strong performances in the West Indies ODIs might open the door for Babar and Mohammad Rizwan to return for the Asia Cup. However, both struggled badly.

Across three matches, neither managed to leave an impact, with Babar failing to cross double figures in two games. Under Rizwan’s captaincy, Pakistan also suffered a historic ODI series defeat to West Indies — their first in 34 years.

T20 World Cup chances also uncertain

Given their prolonged absence from T20 cricket and current form, it appears unlikely that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will recall Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for Asia Cup 2025. The situation could also affect their chances of featuring in T20 World Cup 2026.

All eyes are now on the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) final squad announcement to see what direction Pakistan’s selectors will take.

Also on ABP Live | Rajasthan Royals Eye 3 CSK Stars In Potential Swap Deal For Sanju Samson: Report