Pakistan head coach reveals why Babar Azam was snubbed from Asia Cup 2025 squad
From leading Pakistan in multiple editions of the T20 World Cup to not finding a spot in the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, Babar Azam has endured a rather rough run in the format. However, the decline in Babar's standing is far from surprising. After the PCB announced a 17-member Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and the Asia Cup 2025, Mike Hesson opened up about leaving out Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The Pakistan head coach explained that Babar has been asked to improve his game against spin, particularly his strike rate, if he wants to make a comeback in the format.
Mike Hesson opens up on leaving Babar Azam out of the Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025
The recent exclusion of Babar Azam from the Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2025 has once again put the spotlight on his T20 form. After missing the tours of Bangladesh and the West Indies, the former skipper, who only a short while ago topped the ICC T20I rankings, was left out of the 17-member squad announced on Sunday.
Breaking his silence on the matter, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson explained that Babar has been advised to work on his strike rate, especially when facing spin. He also hinted that playing in the Big Bash League could serve as a potential route for the 29-year-old to stage a return to T20 internationals.
“There’s no doubt Babar has been asked to improve in some areas, particularly against spin and in terms of his strike-rate. Those are aspects I know he’s working very hard on at the moment,” Hesson said following the announcement of Pakistan squad. “A player like Babar also has the opportunity to play in the BBL and showcase improvements in those areas of T20 cricket. He’s simply too good a player for us not to consider," he added.
Numbers underline the concern with Azam's form in the shorter format. Since January 2022, Babar has operated at a strike rate of just 122.91 against spin in all T20s, the lowest among the 20 batters who have faced over 1,000 balls of that type. Mohammad Rizwan, who was also omitted from the Asia Cup 2025 squad, sits just above him with a strike rate of 123.35.
Babar’s last T20I appearance came in December 2024. Earlier this year, he featured in the PSL for Peshawar Zalmi, where he struck only 288 runs at a strike rate of just a little over 128.00. More recently, Babar Azam turned out in the ODI series against the West Indies but managed only 47, 0, and 9 across three games. The Asia Cup 2025, scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28, will precede a tri-series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE at Sharjah, running from August 29 to September 7.
