Selectors have wielded the axe on Pakistan’s ODI team for the Bangladesh series, omitting captain Babar Azam and opener Fakhar Zaman. The move, revealed March 4, stems directly from Babar’s T20 World Cup 2026 disappointment—91 runs from four games—prompting calls for rest amid his stellar 2025 ODIs (544 runs, 77.16 SR, Sri Lanka century). Yet, the board prioritized change over continuity.
Youth movement intensifies with Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah also excluded, alongside six debutants in the squad. Shaheen Shah Afridi holds captaincy reins, supported despite recent dips. Mohammad Rizwan returns behind the stumps, while Sahibzada Farhan earns a call-up after twin T20 World Cup hundreds.
The complete roster reads: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr., Muhammad Ghazi Gory (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shamil Hussain.
Dhaka hosts the three ODIs on March 11, 13, and 15. As Pakistan experiments boldly, the series looms as a proving ground for emerging stars and a referendum on selection gambles in a high-stakes subcontinental clash.