Pakistan Players Hit With Brutal Reality Check as Even Die-Hard Fans Don’t Know Their Names Before India Clash

Pakistan’s cricket team is entering the Asia Cup 2025 with a fresh look and lowered expectations. The side, now led by Salman Ali Agha, is going through a rebuilding phase after dropping senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from its T20 squad. Youngsters like Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris and Hasan Nawaz are hoping to make an impact on the international stage, while only a few experienced names such as Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Fakhar Zaman remain from the previous core. Former India cricketer Nikhil Chopra has pointed out this big shift and questioned the team’s star power ahead of the clash with India.

Lack of star power compared to 1990s heroes

Chopra compared Pakistan’s present T20 squad to its famous teams of the 1990s, pointing out that today’s cricketers still lack the same household status their seniors had. “With no disrespect to Pakistan, if you ask kids on the street to name three or four players from the current side, even some loyal T20 fans might not know their names. But ask about Pakistan’s ’90s heroes and they’ll easily recall them,” Chopra said on NDTV.

India’s depth and strong bench

The former player also praised India’s line-up, saying each member is a proven match-winner, backed by strong IPL performances. He noted that talented players like Yashasvi Jaiswal have not even made it into the 15-member squad, showing how tough the selection process has become. “When you look at India’s 11 or 15, it is full of match-winners, experienced players and global stars. Someone like Jaiswal missing out shows the selection headache Ajit Agarkar and his team face,” he added. Earlier, India bowled out the UAE for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs in their first Asia Cup 2025 game. Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets, Shivam Dube grabbed three, and openers Abhishek Sharma and vice-captain Shubman Gill chased the total in only 4.3 overs after losing one wicket.