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Ahead of the Asia Cup, Pakistan's new T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, faced scrutiny after a journalist's comment about Afghanistan's T20 World Cup performance sparked a viral reaction. As Agha leads a young team, Pakistan aims to regain consistency in the upcoming tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced its squad for the upcoming UAE tri-series and Asia Cup 2025, surprisingly omitting Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated the decision was made by selectors based on merit, emphasizing a focus on power-hitters and a long-term vision to introduce new talent. Salman Ali Agha will captain the team.

Mohammad Rizwan's struggles continue as he faces setbacks, including being dropped from the Asia Cup squad and demoted in PCB contracts. His poor form extended to the CPL, where he was dismissed for just 3 runs, leading to social media trolling. Pakistan cricket is facing a decline across formats, marked by inconsistent performances and early exits from major tournaments.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has criticised Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam for not being the key players for their team due to their inability to help them win big matches in recent times.

Mohammad Hafeez ignited debate by stating Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are no longer Pakistan's 'key players' due to inconsistent match-winning performances. He highlighted Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub, and Hasan Nawaz as current impactful players.

Shoaib Akhtar has criticized Mike Hesson's appointment as Pakistan's head coach after their dismal batting performance against West Indies. Akhtar questioned Hesson's ODI credentials and blamed poor policies for exposing players on seaming tracks. He also urged Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to take more responsibility in finishing games, emphasizing the need for acceleration after reaching a half-century.

Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the comparisons between Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, stating they create undue pressure affecting Babar's performance. Shehzad emphasized Kohli's legendary status, unmatched even by MS Dhoni as a batter and athlete. Babar has now gone 72 consecutive international innings without scoring a century, with his last hundred coming against Nepal.