IMRAN YOUSAFZAI
Two trends continue to define Pakistan cricket: repeated defeats and constant experimentation. At the end of this month, Pakistan will play a triangular series against Afghanistan and the UAE as preparation for the Asia Cup, with the same squad announced for both events. Salman Ali Agha has been retained as T20 captain, while the 17-member squad also includes Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi and Sufyan Muqeem. Notably, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have both been dropped — a rare exclusion from a major international event after years. The impact of this decision will be evident in the triangular series, but the bigger question remains: will Pakistan’s so-called “modern cricket” approach yield any meaningful performances in the tri-series or the Asia Cup? The Absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan Despite being marquee names, both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have struggled to deliver consistently. Babar’s last T20 fifty came on May 14, 2024, when he scored 75 against Ireland. Since then, over the span of 15 months and 11 innings, he has failed to reach another half-century. In his last 20 T20 innings, Babar has scored just 538 runs with only three fifties — two against Ireland and one against New Zealand. Rizwan’s record is marginally better, with 592 runs in his last 20 innings, including five half-centuries. His most recent fifty came against South Africa on December 10, 2024. Both players are outside the T20 setup starting from the 2025, yet their averages and strike rates remain superior to several players who made the squad. While recent struggles cannot be ignored, it is equally impossible to overlook the fact that this duo has delivered countless match-winning performances for Pakistan. Under Babar’s captaincy, Pakistan rose to the No. 1 spot in ICC T20 rankings for the first time in history in 2024. Babar averages nearly 40 and Rizwan 47.41. They also hold Pakistan’s four highest T20 opening partnerships, including their iconic 152* against India in October 2021, as well as 158 against the West Indies (2021), 197 against South Africa (2021), and 203* against England (2022). A Questionable Squad Now leading the side is Salman Ali Agha, who has scored 380 runs in 18 innings of 20 T20 Internationals at an average of 27.14, while managing just four wickets with the ball. Khushdil Shah’s inclusion is even more perplexing. Despite repeated opportunities, including the Champions Trophy and previous tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand, his performances have been underwhelming. In 37 T20 matches, he has managed just 430 runs at an average of 17.91, without a single fifty or hundred, and taken only six wickets. In his last 10 innings, he has scored a mere 86 runs and claimed just three wickets. Dropped earlier due to poor form, his return to the squad raises serious questions. Pakistan’s 2025 Record So Far Looking at Pakistan’s performance in 2025, the numbers are grim. In the first eight months of the year, the team has played 29 international matches, winning just 10 while losing 18, with one washed out. In Tests, Pakistan won one and lost two out of three. In T20s, the record stands balanced — seven wins and seven losses in 14 games. The worst, however, has come in ODIs, where Pakistan managed just two wins from 12 matches, suffering nine defeats, with one abandoned against Bangladesh in Lahore due to rain. Instead of addressing the root causes of this decline, Pakistan cricket management continues to indulge in endless experimentation. Upcoming Fixtures The tri-series begins on August 29, when Pakistan faces Afghanistan. On August 30, they play the UAE. Pakistan will then meet Afghanistan again on September 2, and the UAE on September 4. The top two teams will contest the final on September 7 — and whether Pakistan makes it there will depend entirely on performance. In the Asia Cup, Pakistan opens its campaign against Oman on September 12, faces arch-rivals India on September 14, and then takes on hosts UAE on September 17. Cricket fans can only hope the team delivers, but given the questionable squad selection, expecting extraordinary performances may well be wishful thinking
