Pakistan has announced a 15-member squad for their upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, headlined by the shocking exclusion of former captain and star batter Babar Azam.
The squad, led by pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, signals a massive shift in direction for Pakistan cricket. Babar's omission comes as a major surprise given he scored a century in his last ODI appearance.
However, his recent struggles in the T20 World Cup-where he managed just 91 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 112.34-appear to have cost him his place in the side.
In a clear move toward a youth rebuild, the selectors have included six uncapped players. Leading the new faces is Sahibzada Farhan, who finished the T20 World Cup as the tournament's top scorer with 383 runs.
He is joined by Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, and Shamil Hussain, most of whom recently impressed for the Pakistan Shaheens against England Lions in Abu Dhabi. The squad is also missing veteran opener Fakhar Zaman, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Pakistan team is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on March 8. The three ODIs will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on March 11, 13, and 15.
Pakistan ODI Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, and Shamil Hussain. "UNB
