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Several Pakistan players faced the brunt of the selection committee after their T20 World Cup 2026 exit. After lacklustre performances in T20Is, Babar Azam is among several who have been dropped from the ODI squad for the series against Bangladesh. While the decision has been criticised by many, head coach Mike Hesson gave a half-baked explanation. Hesson said no one is dropped and Pakistan is looking at the series against Bangladesh as a chance to test out new players.
"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 told the reporters ahead of the first ODI of the series in Dhaka on March 11.
Babar’s ODI numbers in 2025 -
In 2025, Babar scored 544 runs from 17 innings at an average of 34 and strike rate of 77.16. Last year, he scored a century and three fifties as well. Only Salman Agha (667 runs) and Mohammad Rizwan (569) have more ODI runs in 2025 than Babar for Pakistan during this period.
So far, he has played just four ODIs against Bangladesh, scoring 123 runs, including a 96-run knock in ODI World Cup 2019 fixture.
Farhan breaks the door open
The six uncapped players in the squad are -- Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain. Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori, Masood and Hussain are yet to make their international debut across formats. Meanwhile, Farhan has been called into the ODI squad after a record-breaking tally of runs (383) in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026.
"Sahibzada 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 and junior sides,” Hesson said.
Pakistan squad for the ODI series vs Bangladesh
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.
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