Pakistan's Asia Cup Squad Announced: Babar Azam and Rizwan Miss Out

In a surprising move, former Pakistan captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been excluded from the upcoming Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates next month. This omission was announced as the Pakistan Cricket Board revealed their 17-member squad led by Salman Agha.

The team will participate in a T20 tri-series in the UAE for their Asia Cup preparation, facing both the UAE hosts and Afghanistan. Despite being overlooked, pacer Shaheen Afridi maintains his place in the lineup, while opener Fakhar Zaman, who recently suffered a hamstring injury during the West Indies tour, has been included for the event, scheduled from September 9 to 28.

Pakistan is slated to kick off their Group A schedule against Oman on September 12 in Dubai, followed by a highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals India on September 14 at the same venue. The squad features a blend of seasoned players and emerging talents, including Abrar Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf.