Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not playing for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 primarily due to concerns over their strike rates in T20 cricket. Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson cited that both players were not accelerating the scoring fast enough, which is critical in the modern format. Despite being prolific run-scorers, their strike rates were viewed as a limiting factor, which led to their exclusion from the squad. The decision was made objectively without any agenda or malice, focusing on the team's need for higher-scoring rates. Legendary former player Wasim Akram supported this move, stating that they were given enough chances over the years but were not consistent enough to retain their spots. New, younger players with a more aggressive mindset have replaced them in the team, and Pakistan has actually performed decently without Babar and Rizwan so far.
In summary, the main reason for their not playing is the management's emphasis on strike rate and run tempo required in today's T20 cricket, which Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have struggled to maintain according to the coaching staff.
