Pakistan has excluded former captain Babar Azam from the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh starting on March 11. Babar’s omission follows Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where they were eliminated in the Super 8s stage. Despite Babar’s century in the previous ODI series against Sri Lanka, selectors decided to go in a different direction due to his recent form.
During the T20 World Cup 2026, Babar Azam had a subpar campaign, scoring only 91 runs in four innings. The team has also left out opener Fakhar Zaman, who showed promise in the last ODI but has been excluded as part of a transition phase in Pakistan’s limited-overs setup. Notable absentees from the squad include young batter Saim Ayub and pacer Naseem Shah, with selectors opting for a reshuffle.
In a bid to revamp the team, Sahibzada Farhan, who had a standout T20 World Cup performance with two centuries, has earned a call-up. Despite facing criticism post-World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi will retain his captaincy for the Bangladesh series, with the management showing confidence in his leadership abilities. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who was absent from the World Cup squad, makes a return.
The 15-member squad for the Bangladesh ODI series includes six uncapped players, indicating Pakistan’s focus on testing bench strength and enhancing depth for future assignments.
