Cricket followers have been thrown right into a storm of debate following the shock exclusion of star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the Asia Cup 2025 squad. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s announcement on Sunday has sparked intense discussions throughout social media, with opinions sharply divided between these applauding the daring transfer and others criticizing what they see as a reckless determination.
The decision was backed by new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who cited the duo’s underwhelming strike charges as the first purpose for his or her omission. Each Babar and Rizwan have confronted criticism for his or her conservative strategy on the prime of the order, typically consuming the majority of deliveries with out translating them into the aggression demanded in trendy T20 cricket. Their powerplay strike charges—116 for Babar and 117.4 for Rizwan—have been flagged as subpar, with Pakistan’s prime three collectively dealing with extra balls than some other ICC full-member workforce since 2020.
Followers divide over Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s exclusion from Pakistan T20I squad
The choice has break up the fanbase into two clear camps. Supporters of the transfer argue that Pakistan’s batting technique desperately wanted a shake-up, with Babar’s T20I strike fee of 129.2 typically seen as an anchor slowing the workforce down. They consider eradicating the duo might pave the way in which for a extra aggressive, fearless strategy that retains Pakistan in keeping with evolving T20 requirements.
Then again, a major part of followers has reacted angrily. For them, dropping two of Pakistan’s most dependable performers quantities to self-sabotage. Babar’s absence specifically has been a sore level throughout latest sequence towards Bangladesh and the West Indies, the place collapses highlighted what supporters referred to as a “evident void” within the batting lineup.
Additionally READ: Pakistan proclaims squad for Asia Cup 2025; no place for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan
Right here’s how followers reacted:
🚨 BABAR AZAM AND MOHAMMED RIZWAN DROPPED FROM PAKISTAN’S ASIA CUP SQUAD. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/92S416SsNG
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 17, 2025
BABAR AZAM AND MOHAMMED RIZWAN 😭😭🤣 #AsiaCup2025 #BabarAzam pic.twitter.com/Jl3gaT0eUO
— DK Rajpurohit 🇮🇳 (@DeviSin61134860) August 17, 2025
For the primary time in over eight years, Pakistan will play a significant cricket occasion with out Babar and Rizwan.
Babar Azam has been taking part in constantly because the 2017 Champions Trophy. For the reason that 2021 T20 World Cup, each Babar and Rizwan have participated in each main occasion.… pic.twitter.com/rRwG2eNt69
— CricFollow (@CricFollow56) August 17, 2025
Each Babar Azam & Mohd Rizwan dropped from Asia Cup Squad
Final 4 T20Is vs India
Rizwan – 149 runs || 37.25 Avg || 100.00 SR
Babar – 37 runs || 9.25 Avg || 123.33 SRWe’ll miss our constant performers, who all the time gave their greatest for Indian workforce.#AsiaCup2025
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) August 17, 2025
#AsiaCup
Rizwan
Babar Azam https://t.co/CSBj4wicmQ pic.twitter.com/wrHZm0JX0Y— Charismatic (@swapnilarsekar) August 17, 2025
BABAR AZAM AND MOHAMMED RIZWAN DROPPED FROM PAKISTAN’S ASIA CUP SQUAD
WHAT A DOWNFALL. pic.twitter.com/auDwMVy3Cz
— Darshit Trivedi (@Darshit1109) August 17, 2025
🚨 BABAR AZAM & RIZWAN ARE BOYCOTTING ASIA CUP 🚨#AsiaCup #BabarAzam #PakistanCricket https://t.co/czJwliuGPd
— Taha 🇵🇸 | 🇵🇰 (@Ur_CalmSpace) August 17, 2025
Look who had the heart to inform Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to enhance their T20 recreation and dropped them from the Asia Cup squad.
Professor Hesson strikes 💪#RCBcelebration pic.twitter.com/kvrPNIekpr— Ayush Singh🔱 (@Ayush_Singh27) August 17, 2025
WHY BABAR AZAM AND RIZWAN DROPPED :-
Aqib Javed stated, “If Babar and Rizwan carry out like the opposite gamers, then they’ll positively play.”
Mike Hesson stated, “Babar Azam has a possibility to play within the BBL and present that he is bettering within the areas wanted in T20Is. He is too good… pic.twitter.com/aNVVgdHfNz— Sporttify (@sporttify) August 17, 2025
PCB introduced TRI Nation and Asia cup squad can Babar Azam Muhammad Rizwan T20 profession completed pic.twitter.com/UYrpNyvQaL
— Agha Shahid (@AghaShahidAzeem) August 17, 2025
Strike fee debate takes middle stage
On the coronary heart of the talk lies the strike fee query. Critics argue that Pakistan can’t afford to hold openers who rating beneath 120 within the powerplay, particularly when India and different prime groups area gamers hanging between 160 and 180. Comparisons have solely added gas to the fireplace, with many labeling Babar and Rizwan’s strategy as outdated in at this time’s high-octane T20 period.
But, defenders of the pair stress that statistics can’t seize the calmness and expertise they create in strain conditions. Former cricketers, too, are divided—some hailing the choice as a protracted overdue reset, others warning that dropping seasoned performers simply forward of a significant match might backfire badly.
As Pakistan head into the Asia Cup below the management of Salman Ali Agha, the talk stays unresolved. For followers, the query is straightforward however profound: will this gamble redefine Pakistan’s T20 future, or will the absence of two of their greatest names come again to hang-out them?
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