Islamabad – In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) has announced the national squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, leavingout star batter Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
The decision has sparked widespread debate among cricket fans and analysts,as both players have been considered the backbone of Pakistan’s battinglineup in recent years. Babar, who recently captained the team in majorinternational series, and Rizwan, one of the most consistent performers inT20 and ODI formats, are both notable absentees from the squad.
According to sources, the selectors have opted for a fresh combination,focusing on young talent and all-round balance to strengthen the middleorder and bowling attack. While the official statement did not citespecific reasons for dropping the two senior players, insiders suggest themove is part of a long-term strategy aimed at building a more aggressivebatting unit.
Cricket experts believe the decision could be risky ahead of a high-profiletournament like the Asia Cup, where Pakistan will face tough competitionfrom India, Sri Lanka, and other strong sides. Fans on social media havealready expressed mixed reactions, with many questioning the exclusion oftwo of the country’s most dependable batters.
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The Asia Cup is set to begin next month, and Pakistan will kick off theircampaign against a qualifying team before facing arch-rivals India in amuch-anticipated clash.