Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has distanced himself from the decision to leave out star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan’s squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025. Speaking to media in Lahore, Naqvi said he had “not even one percent” role in selection, adding that the process is handled by the selection committee and advisory panel.
Babar and Rizwan, regulars in major tournaments since the 2021 T20 World Cup, have been sidelined in the shortest format since the South Africa series last December. Their omission has drawn backlash from fans and sparked debate among pundits. Naqvi reiterated his trust in selectors, saying decisions are made on merit with the aim of grooming young talent for the future. He emphasized the importance of building competition within the squad ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. On Rizwan’s ODI captaincy, Naqvi said the head coach’s report is under review and final decisions will be taken after consultations. Rizwan, who succeeded Babar as white-ball captain in October 2024, initially led Pakistan to historic series wins in Australia and South Africa. However, results dipped with defeats in the tri-nation series against South Africa and New Zealand. The decline culminated in Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home.
