Pakistan 50-overs skipper Shaheen Afridi has opened up about the decision to not include Babar Azam for the upcoming three-match away ODI series against Bangladesh, slated to begin from March 11. With the culmination of the T20 World Cup 2026, where the Men in Green had a disappointing outing facing elimination in the Super 8 stage, they will now shift focus to the 50-overs format as the 2027 ODI World Cup is the next ICC event on the horizon.
Nevertheless, the omission of their star batter Babar Azam raised eyebrows when the squad was announced. However, Shaheen has now broken silence on the call and justified the reason behind the decision.
Shaheen Afridi said in the pre-match presser on the eve of BAN vs PAK 1st ODI,
“Look, no one was dropped for this series. We just want to give opportunity for our youngsters. They also are our future. You want to give opportunity against Bangladesh. I think when the time comes, they will also know their role and what’s coming in future. We just need to prepare our team for the World Cup. It is an opportunity for the youngsters to show their skills.”
Throughout the T20 World Cup 2026, there were calls to drop Babar Azam as he was evidently struggling. The dynamic right-hander could manage just 91 runs at a subpar average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34 which is considered slow in the shortest format. His low strike-rate has been a concern for sometime now, which saw him getting dropped from the T20I side earlier last year before making a comeback after the Asia Cup 2025.
Despite his T20 struggles, Babar is still a revered batter in the ODI format. In the last 50-over series which Pakistan played against Sri Lanka, Babar Azam finished as the second-highest scorer with 165 runs in three innings at an average of 82.50 and helped the hosts secure a 3-0 whitewash.
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The 15-member squad also includes six uncapped players. Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood, and Shamyl Hussain were part of the Pakistan Shaheens team that recently played against the England Lions in Abu Dhabi.
Three of those newcomers – Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat and Shamyl Hussain will also make their ODI debuts in the BAN vs PAK 1st ODI, making up Pakistan’s top three as confirmed by Shaheen Afridi.
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