Key points
- Strong mix of youth and experience in team
- Five pacers, two mystery spinners suit UAE conditions
- Tri-Series begins 29 August, Asia Cup follows
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson, has voiced his confidence in the national squad selected for the upcoming UAE T20 Tri-Series and the 2025 Asia Cup.
Posting on social media platform ‘X’, the 50-year-old coach commended the squad’s balance, highlighting the blend of youth and experience.
“We’ve put together what we believe is a highly competitive squad following the recent T20I series. Excited to see some fresh faces stepping up alongside our experienced senior players. A great blend of energy and experience for the Tri-Nation Series and Asia Cup,” Hesson wrote.
Hesson also underlined the variety in the bowling department, especially given the UAE conditions.
Front-line seamers
“Our squad features five front-line seamers to adapt according to UAE conditions, along with two attacking mystery spinners. With depth in batting, a much-improved fielding side, and the bowlers mentioned above, we have an excellent, balanced squad overall,” he said.
It is worth noting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 17-man squad on Sunday for the forthcoming competitions.
The Tri-Nation Series—featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and hosts UAE—will be held in Sharjah from 29 August to 7 September. The Asia Cup 2025 will take place from 9 to 28 September in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Key players
All-rounder Salman Ali Agha remains the captain. Veteran players Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf retain their places, while promising talents Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, and Hussain Talat have also been named.
Other key players include Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, and Hasan Nawaz. Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, and Sufiyan Muqeem round out the squad.
Meanwhile, one standout performer from the recent T20I series further strengthened his case for selection.
The 31-year-old bowler emerged as the leading wicket-taker, claiming seven wickets in three matches at an impressive economy rate of just 5.21.
Pakistan’s squad
Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Sufiyan Muqeem.
