Pakistan omit Babar Azam, Rizwan from Asia Cup T20 squad

Pakistan have left out star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20 squad announced on Sunday for the Asia Cup and a preparatory tri-series against Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates later this month.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the move in a press release, noting that while both players have been prolific in the format, they have not featured since December. Head coach Mike Hesson explained the decision by pointing to other players’ strong performances.

“We know what a fine player Babar is,” Hesson told reporters. “Babar has been asked to improve in certain areas, like taking on spin and in terms of his strike rate, and he is working hard on these things. The players we have are performing well and having a positive impact.”

Since Hesson’s appointment in May, Pakistan have contested three T20 series. They whitewashed an opponent 3-0 at home, lost 2-1 away to Bangladesh, and then secured a 2-1 win over the West Indies in the United States. “Our focus is to win the tri-series and the Asia Cup,” Hesson said. “The aim is to peak from these pinnacle events.”

All-rounder Salman Agha has been handed the captaincy for the upcoming assignments. The squad also features the return of fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza. Mirza impressed with seven wickets in Bangladesh but was overlooked against the West Indies. Opener Fakhar Zaman also returns after missing the recent ODI series in the Caribbean through injury, where Pakistan lost 2-1.

The tri-series is scheduled to begin on August 29, followed by the Asia Cup in the UAE from September 9.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim.