Salman Ali Agha: Current Pakistan Squad Strong Enough Without Babar Azam, Rizwan

The Pakistan cricket team’s defeat against India in the 2025 Asia Cup final has once again started a heated discussion among fans and experts. Many believe that if senior players like Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were part of the squad, the outcome could have been different. However, Pakistan’s current T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, strongly disagrees with this idea.

During the post-match press conference, Salman Ali Agha addressed the questions directly. When reporters asked if Pakistan had missed the presence of their experienced batters, Babar and Rizwan, he firmly rejected the claim. He reminded everyone that the current team had already shown its capability in recent matches and tournaments.

“This same team was scoring 170–180 runs before the Asia Cup,” Agha explained. “We were playing well; we even won the tri-series and reached the final here. It’s not about missing any particular player. Today, we just failed to finish properly. But I still believe this team is strong and has the potential to perform.”

Pakistan’s journey to the final was full of effort and determination. They defeated Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to book their place in the title clash. But when it came to the high-pressure final against India in Dubai, their batting line-up once again struggled. Without experienced players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, the middle order lacked stability. Even Salman Ali Agha himself could not deliver with the bat throughout the tournament. These same weaknesses appeared in the final match, where Pakistan collapsed dramatically, losing nine wickets for just 33 runs. That sudden batting failure gave India the upper hand and eventually the trophy.

Despite this setback, a few players still showed fighting spirit. Faheem Ashraf and Shaheen Shah Afridi tried to push the team forward with valuable contributions. However, their efforts were not enough to cover up the damage caused by the batting collapse.

This defeat has sparked a bigger debate about Pakistan’s batting order and whether the team can afford to leave out seasoned players. With a T20I series against South Africa coming up next month, there is speculation that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) might reconsider its stance. Reports suggest that Babar Azam could be recalled to strengthen the batting, while Rizwan’s return may also be possible, especially after Mohammad Haris’ inconsistent show in the Asia Cup.

For now, Salman Ali Agha is standing by his squad. He believes the current lineup has enough young talent, balance, and potential to compete at the highest level without depending too much on former stars. But as the discussions continue, only time will tell if the PCB agrees with him or decides to bring back the experienced duo.

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