Asia Cup 2025 Ignored 11: Shreyas Iyer Captain, Babar-Rizwan, Naseem Shah In, Check Full Lineup

The Asia Cup 2025 squads have been announced, with the tournament scheduled from September 9 to 28 in the UAE. While teams have named their sides, many notable players have been surprisingly left out by their national selectors. Check out the best XI players ignored for the Asia Cup 2025 who have strong credentials but missed final selection.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has amassed 723 runs in 23 T20Is, boasting an impressive strike rate of 164.31. Despite these excellent numbers, including a century and several match-winning innings, he was unexpectedly left out of India’s Asia Cup squad. His exclusion has raised questions, especially given his recent stellar performances in domestic cricket and IPL 2025.

Babar Azam, Pakistan’s most capped T20I player with 128 matches and leading run-scorer with 4223 runs, has also been surprisingly ignored for this tournament. His absence is significant given his consistency and experience. Azam’s exclusion has stunned fans who expected the star batter to anchor Pakistan’s batting lineup at the Asia Cup.

Shreyas Iyer, with 1104 runs in 51 T20Is, has been one of India’s consistent performers over recent years. His last T20I appearance was in December 2023, and despite an exceptional IPL 2025 where he scored over 600 runs and led Punjab Kings to the final, he has been omitted. This snub has sparked much debate among fans and experts alike. (Captain)

Mohammad Rizwan has been a key player for Pakistan in T20Is, scoring 3414 runs in 106 matches. Known for his agility behind the stumps and steady batting, his exclusion from the Asia Cup squad comes as a shock to many. Pakistan will look to fill the void left by one of their premier T20 performers. (Vice-Captain)

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has delivered steady performances with both bat and ball. Despite his vital role and experience, Miraz was surprisingly left out of the Asia Cup squad. His absence will be felt in Bangladesh’s balance of spin and batting depth.

Iftikhar Ahmed has contributed significantly as an all-rounder with 998 runs and 8 wickets in 66 T20Is. Known for his powerful hitting and handy bowling, his omission from Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad is unexpected. Fans hoped his all-round skills would secure him a spot in the tournament.

Former stand-in captain and reliable all-rounder Shadab Khan boasts 792 runs and 112 wickets in 112 T20 internationals. Despite his leadership experience and consistent performances, Shadab was not included in the Asia Cup lineup, a decision that will surprise many considering his impact in shorter formats.

Mohammad Naim is recognized as one of Bangladesh’s talented batsmen, known for his technical skill and composure. Nevertheless, Naim was overlooked for the Asia Cup squad. The selectors’ decision has puzzled many fans who see him as a valuable asset for Bangladesh’s batting stability.

Ravi Bishnoi, a young leg-spinner with 61 wickets in 42 T20 internationals, continues to impress with his wicket-taking ability and tight bowling. Despite his potential, Bishnoi was omitted from the Indian squad for the Asia Cup. 

Promising fast bowler Naseem Shah has taken 25 wickets in 30 T20 internationals. Known for his pace and ability to swing the new ball, Shah’s exclusion from the Asia Cup squad has raised eyebrows. Pakistan will miss his energetic pace attack if he remains sidelined.

Despite Great IPL 2025, Prasidh Krishna was ignored for Asia Cup 2025. He was given a chance in Test series but ironically ommitted for T20I format.