Pakistan drop Babar Azam for Bangladesh ODI series: Details here
What's the story
Pakistan have dropped star batter Babar Azam from the squad for the impending ODI series against Bangladesh. The decision comes after a disappointing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where Pakistan exited in the Super Eights. In four innings, Babar managed only 91 runs at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.34. Meanwhile, opener Sahibzada Farhan, who smashed records, has been included in the ODI squad.
Performance review
Poor run in ODIs for Babar
Babar's struggles weren't limited to T20Is, as he also witnessed a dip in his ODI numbers in 2025. He scored 544 runs from 17 innings at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 77.16. Despite his nominal run, Babar remains Pakistan's premier batter across formats. He is one of only five batters with 15,000 international runs for Pakistan.
Rising star
Maaz Sadaqat included in the squad
The Pakistan selectors have also named six uncapped players for the series: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain. Maaz Sadaqat, who was the Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Rising Stars Asia Cup, has been included in the squad. He scored 258 runs from five innings at a strike rate of 177.93. The left-arm spinner also took seven wickets during this tournament.
Record breaker
Sahibzada Farhan gets a chance
As mentioned, Sahibzada Farhan has been included in the squad for his record-breaking performance at the T20 World Cup 2026. He is now the highest run-scorer in a T20 WC edition. He scored 383 runs from six innings at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25. Farhan scored two fifties and two centuries during this tournament, becoming the first player to score two tons in one edition.
Squad
Full squad for the series
The three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and Pakistan will begin on March 11. All matches will be played at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Pakistan's full squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, and Shamyl Hussain.