KEY POINTS
- Shaheen Shah Afridi to lead experimental pace-heavy bowling unit.
- Dhaka series to serve as trial for next-gen batting lineup.
- Three-match series will commence on March 11 to March 15.
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a drastically overhauled 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Bangladesh, dropping batting mainstays Babar Azam and Saim Ayub.
The series, scheduled to be held entirely at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, will run from March 11 to March 15. The announcement confirms that left-arm pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the side, but he will be captaining a largely unrecognisable batting lineup featuring as many as six uncapped players.
A youthful injection in the batting order
The most striking feature of the squad is the sweeping changes to the top and middle order, a clear consequence of the team’s disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup. The PCB has opted to blood a host of new talents, signalling a potential changing of the guard in the 50-over format.
The uncapped contingent includes a mix of youth and domestic performers: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain. Notably, four of these players, Samad, Sadaqat, Masood, and Hussain, were recently part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that faced the England Lions in Abu Dhabi.
Sahibzada Farhan’s call-up is particularly intriguing. Despite being a prolific run-scorer, including a stint as the leading scorer in the recent T20 World Cup, he is uncapped in ODIs and has not featured in a domestic 50-over match since October 2024. Twenty-one-year-old Saad Masood, who has only three List A games to his name, is another greenhorn set for the international stage, alongside batter Ghazi Ghori and young opener Shamyl Hussain.
The veterans who survived
While the batting lineup has been gutted, the core of the bowling attack and a few seasoned campaigners remain. Shaheen Afridi will lead a pace unit that includes the familiar firepower of Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Jnr. The spin department will be overseen by leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, with left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram, who made his debut last year, providing support.
Previous ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan retains his place as the wicketkeeper-batter, while T20 captain Salman Ali Agha has also survived the cull. All-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Hussain Talat provide experience and depth to the side.
The shock omissions: Babar and Saim
The decision to drop Babar Azam and Saim Ayub has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. While Babar’s form in 2025 has been ordinary, he remains Pakistan’s premier batter and recently scored a century against Sri Lanka, his first in 30 months. His removal from the ODI setup, a format where his record is exemplary, is a monumental call.
Even more statistically perplexing is the omission of Saim Ayub. The young opener has been a revelation in ODIs, scoring three centuries and two fifties in just 13 innings. He was instrumental in Pakistan’s historic away series victories against Australia and South Africa in late 2024, and his developing finger-spin had provided valuable balance to the side. His axing from what is widely considered his strongest format underscores the PCB’s aggressive rebuilding strategy.
The selectors have also overlooked paceman Naseem Shah and spinner Mohammad Nawaz, both of whom endured poor outings in the T20 World Cup. The three-match series against Bangladesh will now serve as a high-pressure audition for Pakistan’s next generation of batting talent.
Pakistan ODI Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shamyl Hussain.
Schedule
1st ODI: March 11, Dhaka
2nd ODI: March 13, Dhaka
3rd ODI: March 15, Dhaka
