Top-order batter Babar Azam was left out of the 15-member squad that Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, set to be played in Dhaka from March 11 to 15.
The PCB revealed the squad after a few days of uncertainty surrounding the tour due to air disruptions brought on by the Iran war.
Babar scored just 91 runs in four batting appearances during his poor T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. In addition to his struggles in Twenty20 Internationals, the former captain of Pakistan saw a decline in his ODI form in 2025, scoring 544 runs at an average of 34 in 17 innings.
Following the national team’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup, where they were eliminated at the Super Eights stage, the PCB chose six uncapped players in a 15-man squad, suggesting that the panic button had been pressed.
Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, and Abdul Samad are among the uncapped players who represented Pakistan Shaheens against the England Lions in Abu Dhabi. Due to regional concerns, the series was canceled with three ODIs left.
Following a remarkable T20 World Cup performance in which he scored 383 runs—the most in a single campaign in the men’s event—Sahibzada Farhan was called up.
In the team that will be captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi, the selectors have also called up batsman Hussain Talat and fast bowler Haris Rauf.
On March 9, the team will travel to Dhaka, where the Shere Bangla National Stadium will host all three ODIs.
Squad: 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
Series schedule:
March 11: First ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
March 13: Second ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
March 15: Third ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
