Babar Replaced, Saim To Open; Haris Dropped? Pakistan Probable XI For Asia Cup Match Vs Oman

Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris [Source: AFP]

After securing a clinical win in the UAE T20I Tri-Series, Pakistan are all set to take on Oman in their first match of the Asia Cup 2025. Led by Agha Salman, Pakistan are placed in group-A and will cross swords against India and the United Arab Emirates in their subsequent affairs. 

The Men in Green recently enjoyed stellar success in the shortest format, registering emphatic victories in West Indies as well as the UAE. As they gear up for the inaugural clash, let's analyse and find out their probable combination for this match. 

Saim Ayub To Open With Babar Azam's Replacement; Fakhar Zaman At 3

Veteran batter Babar Azam was Pakistan's opener the last time Asia Cup followed the T20I format. However, recently, Pakistan brought Sahibzada Farhan back as Babar Azam's replacement for T20 Internationals. The stylish right-hander capitalised on his sublime PSL 2025 form, emerging as Pakistan's go-to man with the bat against Bangladesh and West Indies. 

Although Farhan flopped with the bat in the UAE Tri-Series, scoring only 63 runs at an average of 12.60, Pakistan might not drop him from their starting XI in the Asia Cup due to following reasons. 

Why are Pakistan unlikely to drop Sahibzada Farhan?

• Farhan has shown aggressive intent: Unlike his predecessors, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Sahibzada Farhan showed a more positive intent at the top order, recording a strike rate of 150 in the UAE T20I Tri-Series. His game-play goes along with Pakistan's modern-day T20I approach, and he has shown consistency in the past. His bold batting approach is one of the reasons why Pakistan will likely give him a few more chances. 
• Fakhar has cemented his place at 3: Swashbuckling batter Fakhar Zaman is one of the cleanest strikers of spin bowling; this is the reason why Pakistan have utilised his expertise and experience at number three. Statistically, Fakhar hammered 155 runs at an average of 38.75 and a strike rate of 138.39 in the UAE Tri-Series, and he is likely to continue at that position. If Pakistan drop Farhan, they will have to promote Fakhar as an opener, which won't be an ideal strategy at this stage, considering the southpaw's recent exploits at three. 

Meanwhile, Saim Ayub is an obvious choice to open the batting with Farhan and play as an all-rounder. In 39 T20I innings, the explosive batter has smashed 816 runs at a strike rate of 136.4. Apart from capitalising on the powerplay field restrictions, Ayub can be a prolific contributor with the ball with his wily finger spin bowling. 

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Middle Order: Agha Salman, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz

Captain Agha Salman has been magnificent as a number four batter in T20Is of late. In 2025, Salman has amassed 439 runs at an average of 33.77 and a strike rate of 122.97. He will spearhead Pakistan's middle-order with the talented Hasan Nawaz, who has struck 432 runs at a blistering strike rate of 167.4 in 19 T20I outings. 

Mohammad Haris' horrible form has been a concern for Pakistan for quite a while now. The dynamic batter has been shuffled throughout the order without much success, scoring 298 runs at a horrible average of 17.53 in T20Is this year. However, the Men in Green are unlikely to drop him, as they don't have an alternative wicketkeeper in their squad. 

Mohammad Nawaz: A key player for Pakistan

(Mohammad Nawaz's incredible numbers in UAE Tri-Series)

Meanwhile, the in-form Mohammad Nawaz, who has scored 638 runs and bagged 70 wickets in T20Is, will play as the designated all-rounder. Besides chipping in with crucial overs, Nawaz can be a handy contributor with the bat in the lower middle order. 

Bowlers: Faheem, Shaheen, Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

(Shaheen and Rauf's stats in powerplay and middle overs in T20Is)

Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf will likely be Pakistan's two frontline seamers to start with. While Shaheen's ability to make the new ball talk makes him a genuine threat to the opponent's top-order, Haris Rauf will spearhead Pakistan's middle-overs bowling with his pace and hit-the-deck bowling. 

On the other hand, Faheem Ashraf could be preferred over Hasan Ali for the third seamer's role, as he can also chip in with valuable runs down the order. 

Why could Pakistan pick Abrar Ahmed over Sufiyan Muqeem?

(Abrar's excellent returns in UAE T20I Tri-Series)

Considering the nature of the surface at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan might not pick two frontline spinners, with Mohammad Nawaz playing as the spin all-rounder. 

In that case, there could be a toss-up between Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem, and Pakistan might prefer the former over the latter due to his extraordinary performance in the UAE Tri-Series. 

Pakistan's Probable XI vs Oman

Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Agha Salman, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

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