Mickey Arthur comments on Babar, Rizwan's absence from Asia Cup 2025
Arthur labels Babar, Rizwan as 'incredibly good' players but backs Hesson and Agha's decision
KARACHI: Former Pakistan men’s cricket team head coach Mickey Arthur opened up on the exclusion of the senior duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the Pakistan squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28.
Babar and Rizwan, who represented Pakistan in every multi-lateral tournament since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been out of favour in the shortest format since the three-match away series against South Africa in December last year.
The duo ultimately failed to make it to the Pakistan squad for the upcoming Asia Cup as the former champions shift their focus to grooming youngsters ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
Their snub from the continental tournament drew severe backlash from fans and has been the point of debate among cricket pundits since the announcement of the Pakistan squad.
Meanwhile, Arthur, who coached the national men’s team to the Champions Trophy glory in 2017, lauded Babar and Rizwan as ‘incredibly good’ players but backed white-ball head coach and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to select players, suitable to execute their brand of cricket.
"He's an unbelievably good coach, and I respect Mike a lot. I think he's gonna do a wonderful job for Pakistan,” Arthur said in an interview with a local news channel.
"T20 game has moved on, and in terms of your skillset, you have to change with the time. Babar and Rizwan are incredibly good players. Obviously, Mike and Salman Ali Agha tried to get a vision and the brand they want to play, and they're selecting the personnel they want to be able to execute their brand,” he added.
Arthur’s remarks came when the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2025 and the preceding T20I tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts UAE, is engaged in a training camp in Dubai.
The series will get underway on August 29 and will conclude on September 7, just a day before the commencement of the eight-team continental event.
Pakistan squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025
Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (C), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
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