Babar Azam Left Out of Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup 2025. In a surprising move, Babar Azam has been excluded from Pakistan’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled next month. The right-handed batsman, who has featured in over 100 T20Is, was overlooked due to a dip in form in recent times.
Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan, who are placed in Group A alongside India, UAE, and Oman. The Men in Green are set to face their arch-rivals India on September 14 at Dubai Cricket Stadium and are likely to meet them again in the Super Four stage.
Azam was also absent during Pakistan’s recent T20I series against the West Indies, which the team won 2-1, and struggled in the three-match ODI series, scoring just 56 runs in total.
His omission from the Asia Cup squad means Azam will also miss out on contention for the ICC T20 World Cup next year. With the Asia Cup being held in T20I format this year, it serves as a key preparation platform for teams ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
When did Babar Azam last play a T20I for Pakistan?
Surprisingly, Babar Azam hasn’t featured in any T20Is for Pakistan in 2025. His last appearance came in December 2024 during the South Africa series, where he played the first two T20Is, scoring 0 and 31. The third match was abandoned due to rain, and Pakistan lost the series 2-0.
The 30-year-old has amassed 4,223 runs in 128 T20Is at an impressive average of 39.84, including three centuries and 36 half-centuries.
So far in 2025, Pakistan have played four T20I series: a five-match series against New Zealand in March, two three-match series against Bangladesh, and the recent three-match series against West Indies. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan will participate in a T20I Tri-series against UAE and Afghanistan from August 29 to September 7.
