Babar and four others withdraw from Pakistan’s ODI squad against B’desh

New Delhi: Babar Azam Pakistan’s ODI squad has been omitted from the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh as selectors start reshaping the squad with an eye on next year’s 50-over World Cup. The decision comes after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, where they failed to reach the semi-finals.

Babar had a poor performance in the T20 tournament, scoring only 91 runs. Despite a dip in form, his ODI numbers remain impressive – 6,501 runs and 20 centuries in 140 games – which makes his absence an important decision. Apart from him, opener Saim Ayub, all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz and fast bowler Naseem Shah were also left out of the 15-man squad.In a clear sign of a turnaround, Pakistan called up six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maz Sadaqat, Mohammad Ghazi Guri, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamil Hussain. Three ODI matches will be played in Dhaka on March 11, 13 and 15, giving the newcomers a chance to prove themselves on the international stage.at the same time, Farha Zaman has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during the T20 World Cup.The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the team as the team appears to have entered a rebuilding phase.The next ODI World Cup is scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October next year and Pakistan seems focused on refreshing the squad and testing new combinations ahead of the global event.