Babar and Rizwan Remain Out of Pakistan’s T20I Plans

The celebrated Pakistani batting duo, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, will remain absent from the national squad for the forthcoming T20I tri-nation series against Afghanistan and the UAE later this month, as well as the Asia Cup 2025 scheduled for September.

Both batsmen struggled to find form during the recently concluded three-match ODI series against the West Indies and have not featured in the T20I setup since their exclusion in December 2024.

Babar managed 47 runs in the first ODI, followed by a duck in the second, and only nine runs in the final match. Rizwan scored 53 in the opening match, 16 in the second, and was dismissed for a golden duck in the third.

However, the squad is set to welcome back pacers Salman Mirza and all-rounder Ahmed Daniyal for the tri-series.

Mirza and Daniyal made a significant impact during the recent T20I series against Bangladesh. Mirza claimed seven wickets across three matches, while Daniyal took three wickets and scored 17 runs in two appearances, even as Pakistan lost the series 2-1.

These two will be taking the places of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who will be rested to manage their workload but are anticipated to return for the Asia Cup 2025 in September.

The tri-series is scheduled to take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE from August 29 to September 7.

This series is a vital preparation opportunity for all participating teams before the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, also to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28.

The tournament offers a crucial chance for players to adapt to the conditions ahead of the continental competition.

Initially, Pakistan was slated to host Afghanistan for a bilateral T20I series in August.

The PCB then proposed transforming it into a tri-nation series, relocating the matches to the UAE to assist teams in preparing for the Asia Cup.

The tri-series will commence on August 29, with Pakistan facing Afghanistan. The match is scheduled for 7:00 PM local time.

Each team will play the others twice, ensuring a minimum of four matches for each side before the top two teams compete in the final on September 7.