The Asia Cup 2025 is closing in, and every Asian team that is set to take part in the continental championship is revamping its squad before the tournament squads are announced. Amid doubts over their participation, Pakistan have also made their squad announcements with a new skipper.

PCB has announced their squad for the upcoming two three-day matches and three 50-over games to be played on their tour of England. This tour is between Pakistan’s second-tier international team, the Shaheens, and England.

The squad will take part in a training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi before they depart for the England tour on the 16th of July. This tour has been arranged for the development of the most promising young talents from the Asian team with international exposure.

Saud Shakeel named skipper of Pakistan Shaheens

The team management has decided to name their internationally capped batter and vice-captain of the test side, Saud Shakeel, as the skipper of the Shaheens on their tour to England this month.

Shakeel’s presence is expected to bring experience to the side, while there are three other players who have joined the team after being capped internationally. The three players included left-arm seamer Mir Hamza, pacer Musa Khan, and off-spinner Sajid Khan.

The top scorers of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Azan Awais and Maaz Sadaqat, were rewarded for their performances and were called into the side. Men in Green have named several spin options despite a series in England, in the form of Faisal Akram and Musabir Khan, who were all part of the 18-member squad.

Pacer Naseem Shah’s brother, Ubaid Shah, has been named among the pacers in the side.

Pakistan Shaheens Squad for England tour

Players: Saud Shakeel (capt), Ali Zaryab, Azan Awais, Faisal Akram, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Suleman, Mubasir Khan, Musa Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Shahid Aziz, Shamyl Hussain and Ubaid Shah

Support Staff: Imran Farhat (head coach), Rehan Riaz (bowling coach), Mohtashim Rasheed (fielding coach)

BCCI has been proposed with a hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2025 by ACC

Recently, the Prime Minister’s Youth Development and Sports program head of Pakistan, Rana Mashood, cited that the safety of their players is of top priority, and hence the government is now reviewing the security threats before their team decides to travel to India for any sports event.

Under reports claimed by the media, the government has already denied the Pakistan National Hockey side clearance to travel to India for the Asia Cup, which was a marquee tournament to mark the qualification for the next 2026 Hockey World Cup.

India is also the host of the Asia Cup for cricket in 2025; however, the Asian Cricket Council, headed by the PCB chief, has already asked the BCCI if they want to plan a hybrid model for the Asia Cup, since it would serve the agreement signed between the BCCI and PCB before the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, when India denied travelling to Pakistan.

Updates are awaited from both the BCCI and the ACC after their annual meet, which has again been opposed by the BCCI and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, citing security concerns in the venue, i.e., Dhaka.

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