Why Pakistan axed Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan from Asia Cup squad? Aqib Javed drops bombshell

Pakistan's team selector, Ajib Javed, was very clear as he explained the straightforward reasoning behind the exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. Both players have been out of the T20I picture and have not participated in the last few series. Nevertheless, fans of Pakistan cricket were hopeful that the selectors would reconsider the duo, given the significance of the eight-team tournament.

However, this is not the case, as Pakistan has chosen to continue with the younger players. Salman Ali Agha will captain the team in the Asia Cup, which kicks off on September 9 in the UAE.

In a conversation with reporters shortly after the squad announcement, Aqib Javed stated that Babar and Rizwan can only return to the T20I setup if they enhance their performances. For quite some time, the pair has faced criticism for their strike rates in T20Is and their failure to accelerate the game, even while opening the batting in this fast-paced format.