Lahore, March 4: Pakistan have left out former captain Babar Azam from the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, beginning March 11, following the team’s disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where they were out from the Super 8s stage.
Babar featured in 17 ODIs in 2025, scoring 544 runs at a strike rate of 77.16. Although he struck a century in Pakistan’s previous ODI series against Sri Lanka, the selectors opted to move in a different direction based on his recent form. His omission comes amid criticism from several former cricketers after Pakistan’s early World Cup exit, with some calling for a long-term break from white-ball cricket.
The 31-year-old had a below-par T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where he managed just 91 runs from four outings with the bat.
The shake-up does not end there. Opener Fakhar Zaman, who registered a half-century in the last ODI and had a steady T20 World Cup campaign, has also been excluded, signalling a transition phase in Pakistan’s limited-overs setup.
Young batter Saim Ayub and pacer Naseem Shah are among the other notable absentees. Saim struggled for consistency in recent outings and was dropped during the World Cup, while Naseem also misses out as the selectors reshuffled the squad.
In contrast, Sahibzada Farhan, who enjoyed an impressive T20 World Cup with two centuries and a record-breaking run tally in a single edition, has been rewarded with a call-up.
Despite scrutiny following the World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue as captain for the Bangladesh series, with the management backing him to lead the transition. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who was not part of the World Cup squad, also returns.
Pakistan have included six uncapped players in the 15-member squad, indicating a focus on testing bench strength and building depth ahead of future assignments.
Pakistan’s squad for Bangladesh ODI:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha and Shamyl Hussain. (IANS)
