The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ruled out star batsman Babar Azam for their upcoming ODI tour of Bangladesh. Babar recently endured a torrid campaign in the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20, where Pakistan were knocked out at the Super 8 stage. The right-handed batsman managed just 91 runs from four innings at an average of 22.75, with a top score of 46.
Apart from his struggles in T20Is, the former Pakistan captain also saw his ODI count drop in 2025who scored 544 runs from 17 innings at an average of 34 and a below par strike rate of 77.16.
As a result, he finds himself out of the ODI side, with the selectors naming six uncapped players in the squad: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain. It marks a significant shift in Pakistan cricket as the selectors have decided to bring in new talent in the team after the team’s repeated stunning performances in ICC events.
20-year-old Maaz Sadaqat was named player of the tournament in the 2025 Rising Stars Asia Cup. He finished as the tournament’s top scorer, amassing 258 runs from five innings at an average of 129 and an impressive strike rate of 177.93. The left-arm spinner took seven wickets during the tournament.
Sahibzada Farhan rewarded for rich form
Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi will continue to lead the team, while senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf have also remained in the squad. Meanwhile, opener Sahibzada Farhan was rewarded for his record-breaking performance in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he proved to be the most prolific scorer in a single year of the tournament.
Farhan finished the tournament with 383 runs from six innings at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25, accounting for two half-centuries and as many centuries. He also became the first player in the history of the tournament to score two centuries in a single edition.
Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against Bangladesh will begin on March 11, with all three matches to be played at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Pakistan squad for ODI series against Bangladesh: 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), Shaad Husashan, Salhibain and Sahib.
– The end
Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
March 4, 2026 4:28 PM IST
