Sports
New faces, new hopes: Why Pak’s young guns can light up Asia Cup | The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
The announcement of Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming UAE T20 Tri-Series and the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 has sparked intense conversations across the cricketing world. The omission of experienced duo like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the 17-member squad is not just a headline—it marks a shift in Pakistan’s T20 philosophy.
Yet, as the dust settles, one truth emerges: Pakistan’s young guns have both the talent and temperament to seize the moment and fill the void left by two of the country’s most consistent performers.
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson was quick to underline the thought process behind the selection. On social media, he described the squad as “a great blend of energy and experience,” highlighting the balance between established performers and fresh talent.
With names like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf providing stability and firepower in the bowling department, and rising stars like Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, and Hasan Nawaz bringing aggression to the batting order, Pakistan have deliberately chosen a squad built for the demands of modern-day T20 cricket.
Young brigade steps in
At the heart of this transition are players who represent Pakistan’s future.
Saim Ayub has already shown flashes of brilliance with his bold stroke play and fearless approach, while Sahibzada Farhan has made a strong case for himself with three Player-of-the-Match awards in just six T20Is.
Fakhar Zaman, though not entirely new, continues to offer the kind of explosive batting that can change games within a few overs.
Add Mohammad Haris’s natural attacking flair with the bat and skills behind the stumps, and Pakistan suddenly look like a side ready to match, if not surpass, the strike rates that Babar and Rizwan were often criticised for.
This new approach aligns with the global evolution of T20 cricket. Powerplay overs are no longer about consolidating; they are about striking hard and fast. Pakistan’s decision to opt for aggressive openers reflects a broader recognition of what it takes to win at the highest level. In this sense, the likes of Saim and Farhan are not just replacements—they are the embodiment of a new mindset.
Confidence Hesson
Hesson’s emphasis on bowling variety is equally crucial.
With five frontline seamers and two mystery spinners, Pakistan’s attack is tailor-made for UAE conditions, where adapting quickly is often the difference between victory and defeat.
He also stressed that this squad represents “a much-improved fielding side,” another area where Pakistan have historically lagged but now seem determined to catch up.
If the bowlers can complement the batting firepower with discipline and sharpness in the field, Pakistan will enter the Asia Cup as genuine contenders.
Aqib’s assurance
Selector and former pacer Aqib Javed also brought clarity to the debate surrounding Babar and Rizwan.
He reminded fans and critics alike that exclusions in cricket are rarely permanent.
“Whoever performs will play,” he said, stressing that opportunities in the national side depend on consistency and form, not past reputation.
For Babar and Rizwan, both of whom are still competing in international leagues, the message is clear: performance will dictate their return.
This perspective is vital for Pakistan cricket. It ensures accountability and avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on individuals.
It also motivates the younger players, who now know that strong performances will not go unnoticed.
Sahibzada Farhan’s resurgence, Saim’s learning curve, and Fakhar’s adaptability are examples of how patience and faith in talent can pay off.
The road ahead
Pakistan’s group in the Asia Cup—featuring arch-rivals India alongside Oman and UAE—offers the perfect stage for this new-look side to test its mettle.
The Pakistan-India clash on September 14 in Dubai will be the ultimate litmus test, not only for the youngsters stepping into the spotlight but also for the selectors’ bold strategy.
If they succeed, Pakistan may have found a new formula to rival India’s explosive top order.
Transitions are rarely smooth in cricket, especially when they involve moving on from iconic figures like Babar and Rizwan.
But every era demands its heroes, and this squad is brimming with candidates ready to answer that call.
The Asia Cup 2025 might just be remembered not as the tournament where Babar and Rizwan were absent, but as the stage where Pakistan’s next generation announced itself to the world.
Play at the India Open badminton tournament was halted twice on Thursday after bird droppings were spotted on Court 1 during Indian HS Prannoy’s match against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, Indian media reported.
The incident kept the spotlight on conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium for a third straight day and added to questions over the venue’s preparedness for the World Championships in August.
Play was first stopped in the opening game when officials rushed in with tissues to clean the floor, and was halted again in the third after fresh droppings were spotted.
“I think it was bird poop,” Prannoy said after the match.
The disruption followed other incidents reported at the venue in recent days, including birds flying around on the practice courts and a monkey being seen in the stands.
While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has defended the conditions and arrangements so far, Indian media said Thursday’s episode adds to a growing list of embarrassments for organisers and points of review for the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which is monitoring the venue.
Players have also raised concerns over the city’s pollution and weather conditions, with Loh adding to the issues flagged during the tournament.
Earlier this week, Danish player Blichfeldt raised concerns about what she described as “dirty and unhealthy” conditions, calling on the BWF to intervene, a significant allegation given the same venue will host the World Championships scheduled to be held in August, with India set to host the global showpiece for the first time in 16 years.
Last year’s India Open was held at the smaller KD Jadhav Arena before being moved this season to the larger Indira Gandhi Stadium, while training sessions continue to take place at the KD Jadhav Stadium located around 250-300 metres from the main arena.
Blichfeldt had reiterated her concerns this week, specifically referring to the warm-up halls, saying players were forced to wear multiple layers due to cold conditions and describing the environment as unfit for elite preparation.
She also raised health concerns after claiming to have seen birds inside the warm-up area, including instances of droppings on court surfaces.
“That’s clearly unhealthy and not normal,” she said, adding that falling sick or getting injured due to such conditions would be unfair to players.
While acknowledging organisers’ efforts, she maintained improvements were still needed and urged tournament authorities and the BWF to ensure professional standards are met.
Sports
State Department lists major sporting events in addition to World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump’s visa ban
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The Trump administration has revealed various “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban on nearly 40 countries, allowing them to travel to the U.S. to compete.
In a cable sent Wednesday to all U.S. embassies and consulates, the State Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by a lengthy list of collegiate and professional sporting leagues and associations would be excluded from the full and partial travel bans subject to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
But foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption.
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The Trump administration has revealed the “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” the message said.
The federal government has issued several immigration and travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb immigration, although the administration still wants athletes, coaches and fans to be able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump’s proclamation last month banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority had included an exception for athletes and staff competing in some sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics, and a decision on the other sporting events that would be covered would be made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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Foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The events covered, according to the cable, include all competitions and qualifying events for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games and Parapan American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA or its confederations.
Official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National Hockey League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling are also covered under the exemption.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future, the cable said.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)
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Under the new visa restrictions, a full travel ban covers citizens of Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and individuals holding Palestinian Authority–issued passports.
A partial ban applies to citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Former Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per multiple reports.
Tucker’s $60 million average annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, not factoring discounting, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Houston Astros runs to third base during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 28, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But the outfielder has played in just 214 regular-season games over the past two years.
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Jeremy Pena #3, Kyle Tucker #30, and Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros celebrate after Tucker hit a home run in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 28, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs swings the bat in the third inning during game five of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Brandon Sloter/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He sustained a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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