Wristspinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem have also secured spots in Pakistan's squad. They are joined by Salman Mirza, who was Pakistan's leading wicket-taker with eight wickets in the recent away T20I series against Bangladesh.

Mike Hesson said that a player like Babar Azam has opportunity to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) and showcase his improvement in the format

Kamran Akmal had recently asked for Babar Azam to be dropped from all white-ball formats, but made a massive U-turn after the former Pakistan captain was not included in the squad for Asia Cup 2025.

Pakistan will walk into the Asia Cup 2025 starting September 9 without Babar Azam, a decision that has already sparked debate among fans and experts. For nearly a decade, Babar has been the anchor of Pakistan’s batting. Now, at 30, he finds himself out of the squad not because of an injury or retirement but because of form and approach.

Babar Azam last represented Pakistan in T20I format during a match against South Africa in 2024. Later, following poor outings, he was dropped

The PCB is set to announce its squad for the T20I tri-series and Asia Cup 2025, with Babar Azam likely to return. Fakhar Zamans injury has opened the door, and Pakistan face India in a key clash on September 14.

With 28 innings and 711 days without a century, can Babar Azam stage a Kohli-level comeback? Here’s a detailed analysis of his form, stats, and comeback potential on CricTracker.