Pakistan’s selection committee has decided to exclude key players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi from the upcoming T20 series against the West Indies and Bangladesh. This move signifies a shift towards fostering emerging talent, especially with a demanding international schedule looming.
Sources within the selection panel, including Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, and Asad Shafiq, along with head coach Mike Hesson, have reportedly informed the experienced trio that their services are not needed for the upcoming T20 matches. The team management intends for these senior players to concentrate on the ICC World Test Championship and the ODI format, where their experience is deemed more crucial.
Pakistan is scheduled to tour the West Indies in late July for a series of three T20 Internationals and three ODIs. Following this, the team will travel to Bangladesh for a T20 series, initially planned for three matches, but discussions are underway to extend it to five matches in August.
In addition to these tours, Pakistan is set to play a T20 series against Afghanistan later in August. These games are seen as vital preparation for the Asia Cup, tentatively scheduled for September, and the ICC T20 World Cup early next year.
The selectors and coach Hesson are keen to provide opportunities to young players in the shortest format of the game. The decision to exclude the senior players is strategic, aimed at developing squad depth rather than being performance-related.
Notably, Shaheen Afridi continues to excel in franchise cricket, having recently led Lahore Qalandars to their third Pakistan Super League (PSL) title in five seasons. This is not the first instance of Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen being omitted from Pakistan’s T20 squad. Babar, in particular, has been excluded from several recent series, including those against New Zealand, Bangladesh, Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. This latest decision appears to be a continuation of that trend, reflecting the team management’s long-term strategy.
