Former Pakistan captains Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been omitted from the squad for the upcoming home T20 series against Bangladesh. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the official squad on Wednesday, May 21st.
Sports News: A surprising and significant development has shaken Pakistan cricket fans. The squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Bangladesh has been announced, notably excluding the trio of superstars Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. This announcement has created a stir in the cricketing world, especially considering these three players have been pillars of Pakistan cricket for the past few years.
Why were Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi omitted?
The PCB clarified that the T20 squad selection was based on players' performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season. Statistics from the first 10 matches of PSL 2025 are cited as the primary reason behind this decision.
- Babar Azam scored 288 runs in 10 matches, including 3 half-centuries.
- Mohammad Rizwan scored 367 runs in 10 matches, including 1 century.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi took 11 wickets in 10 matches.
While these figures are considered average, the performance apparently did not meet the PCB's expectations.
Is Babar Azam's T20 career over?
This is a natural question arising among cricket enthusiasts. Babar Azam, Rizwan, and Afridi have been consistently excluded from the T20 international team in recent months. This bly suggests the board is currently prioritizing other players for this format. Their omission from the recent series against New Zealand, which resulted in a heavy defeat for Pakistan, further fueled this speculation and raised questions about the team's weakened state without its star players.
New Head Coach Mike Hesson's First Challenge
This series against Bangladesh will be a significant test for Pakistan's new head coach, Mike Hesson. Hesson had publicly stated his desire to include Babar Azam in the team, but the selectors seemingly did not heed his advice. It is speculated that disagreements between the selectors and the coach contributed to this decision.
Salman Ali Agha has been appointed captain, representing a new era. Shadab Khan has been named vice-captain. The team is composed of promising young players from the PSL, viewed as the future of Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan Squad
Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan (Vice-Captain), Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Sam Ayub, Naseem Shah, and Shahbaz Ahmed.
Pakistan vs. Bangladesh T20 Schedule
- May 27 (Tuesday) - Gaddafi Stadium (8 PM onwards)
- May 29 (Thursday) - Gaddafi Stadium (8 PM onwards)
- May 31 (Saturday) - Gaddafi Stadium (8 PM onwards)
