Lahore, August 17, 2025: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday unveiled a 17-member national squad for the upcoming UAE tri-series and the Asia Cup 2025, retaining all-rounder Salman Ali Agha as captain.
The squad features senior campaigners Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf, alongside youngsters Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat. Other inclusions are Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, and Mohammad Haris, with Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim completing the lineup.
The tri-series, involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and hosts UAE, will be staged in Sharjah from August 29 to September 7, followed by the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 28.
Addressing a press conference, PCB’s Director High Performance Aqib Javed said the squad reflects continuity and recent form.
“This is the same group that has been playing recently. Our focus is on consistency and winning momentum,” he noted.
On Salman Mirza’s inclusion, Javed credited his performances in Bangladesh, stressing that selection is merit-based.
“The player who performs will play. Sahibzada Farhan has also made a comeback after improving his form,” he added.
Responding to questions about the absence of star batter Babar Azam and ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan, Javed clarified that their exclusion is not permanent.
“We cannot say Babar and Rizwan will never be considered again. They remain in contention, but at present, the current group deserves an extended run,” he said.
Javed also hinted that senior players could pursue overseas league opportunities like the Big Bash, adding that only consistent performers would be recalled to the national side.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged Babar’s contributions in the recent West Indies series but suggested areas for improvement.
“It is tough to judge a player’s form over three matches. Babar played well in the first game but has been asked to work on certain aspects. If both Babar and Rizwan perform at par with the rest, they will definitely return to T20Is,” Hesson remarked.
Pakistan’s 17-member squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.
