Babar Azam Omitted from Pakistan's ODI Squad for Bangladesh Series
Babar Azam Excluded from ODI Team
Babar Azam has been left out of the Pakistan ODI squad as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed the team for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. The PCB did not provide specific reasons for Babar's exclusion, but his disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup likely influenced this decision. The right-handed batsman scored only 91 runs across four innings, averaging 22.75, with a top score of 46, as Pakistan failed to advance to the semifinals. In ODIs during 2025, Babar's performance was inconsistent, accumulating 544 runs in 17 innings at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 77.16, significantly lower than his career average.
New Faces in the Squad
In a notable move, selectors have included six uncapped players in the squad. The newcomers are Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain. With the ODI World Cup approaching next year, Pakistan aims to provide more chances to emerging talents, especially after senior players struggled in recent ICC tournaments, resulting in disappointing outcomes.
Maaz Sadaqat has gained attention in the Pakistan cricket scene, having excelled in the Rising Stars Asia Cup in 2025, where he emerged as the top run-scorer with 258 runs from five innings, averaging 129 and boasting a strike rate of 177.93. He also took seven wickets during the tournament. Sahibzada Farhan earned his spot following an impressive performance in the T20 World Cup, making his selection into the ODI squad a matter of time. Alongside the new talents, experienced players Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf have been retained, with Shaheen Afridi appointed as the team's captain.
The three-match ODI series against Bangladesh is set to commence on March 11, with all matches taking place at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Pakistan's ODI Squad for the Bangladesh Series: 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), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, and Shamyl Hussain.