No place for Babar, Rizwan in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup and UAE tri-series
Lahore, Aug 17 (PTI): Pakistan on Sunday left out seasoned batters Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan while announcing their 17-member squad for Asia Cup and the preceding tri-series in the UAE later this month.
Babar and Rizwan, who helped Pakistan to their first-ever win over India in an ICC World Cup game back in 2021 in the UAE, have been away from the format for a while.
Both Babar and Rizwan made their last appearance in the shortest formats in December 2024.
In the lead-up to the Asia Cup which will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9, the Salman Ali Agha-led side will play a tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts UAE at Sharjah from August 29 to September 7.
“This team has the ability to beat India in the Asia Cup. Whether you like it or not, the match between India and Pakistan is the biggest in world cricket. Every player knows this,” said Pakistan chief selector Aaqib Javed after the team announcement.
“Our squad can beat any team. Everyone is ready. Everyone knows the situation surrounding the two countries. But we don’t need to put extra pressure on them," he added.
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said Babar has been asked to improve certain aspects of his game.
"I think it's really harsh to challenge a player on their form on three games. Babar played nicely in the first ODI but missed out on the next two," Hesson told reporters during a media interaction.
"There's no doubt Babar's been asked to improve in some areas around taking on spin and in terms of his strike rate. Those are things he's working really hard on."
"A player like Babar has an opportunity to play in the BBL and show he's improving in those areas in T20s. He's too good a player not to consider."
The squad features senior fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Wasim and left-arm bowler Salman Mirza.
Hesson said the players in the current squad, which recently lost an away ODI series to West Indies after losing to Bangladesh in an away T20I series in July, have been doing well.
"But at the moment, the players we have have done exceptionally well. Sahibzada Farhan has played six games and won three Player of the Match awards," he said.
Pakistan are placed along with arch-rivals India in Group A, also featuring the UAE and Oman, in the eight-team Asia Cup tournament which will conclude on September 28.
Pakistan squad:
Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
