Here's why Babar Azam was not selected for Bangladesh ODIs
What's the story
Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson has explained the rationale behind leaving out star batter Babar Azam from the ODI squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. The decision, which surprised many, was made after Pakistan's disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup where they failed to qualify for the semifinals. However, Hesson clarified that this isn't a case of dropping players but rather an opportunity for young talent to showcase their skills ahead of future tournaments.
Future focus
Opportunity to give young players a chance: Hesson
Hesson stressed that the decision to leave out senior players like Babar Azam and Saim Ayub isn't a punishment. "I wouldn't say anyone was dropped. We just see this series as an opportunity to give these promising players a chance to prove themselves," Hesson was quoted as saying by PTI. Hesson also highlighted that Pakistan haven't had many chances to test young talent and wants to see how they perform ahead of next year's ODI World Cup.
New faces
Six uncapped players in Pakistan's ODI squad
The Pakistan squad for the ODI series against Bangladesh features six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain. Hesson expressed confidence in these young talents to make an impact in the upcoming series. He said Sahabzada Farhan has forced himself into the ODI squad because of his exceptional performances in T20s and then young players like Shamyl Hussain or Maaz Sadaqat have been doing well in domestic cricket.
Leadership change
Shaheen Afridi named captain for Bangladesh ODIs
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named as the captain for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh. This comes after an underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign where Pakistan failed to reach the semifinals. Along with Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah have also been left out of the squad in a bid to give younger players more opportunities on the international stage.
Information
Pakistan ODI squad vs Bangladesh
Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), 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.