Pakistan’s men’s head coach, Mike Hesson, explained that Babar Azam was not dropped but excluded from the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh to provide opportunities to emerging players. The squad underwent significant changes, with established names like Babar, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah, Mohammad Nawaz, and Naseem Shah being left out. Instead, six uncapped players have been included in the squad, aiming to test bench strength.
Hesson emphasized that the decisions were part of a strategy to nurture young talent rather than targeting specific players for exclusion. He highlighted the limited opportunities Pakistan gets to experiment with new faces due to the packed international calendar leading up to major tournaments. The coach praised the performances of newcomers like Sahibzada Farhan, who stood out during the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The coach commended the domestic credentials of other young players in the squad, such as Shamyl Hussain and Maaz Sadaqat, underscoring their potential. Pakistan’s squad reshuffle follows their T20 World Cup campaign, where they missed the semi-finals due to net run rate issues and struggled against stronger opponents like New Zealand, England, and India.
