Mainstays axed but Shaheen remains ODI captain against BD

LAHORE: Out-of-form pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained as captain of the 15-member Pakistan squad announced on Tuesday for the three-match One-day International (ODI) series against Bangladesh to be played in Dhaka from March 11 to 15.

However, senior batters Babar Azam, Saim Ayub — both struggling for form — and Fakhar Zaman have been omitted from the squad for the bilateral series, which marks Pakistan’s first ODI tour of Bangladesh in 11 years. Pakistan last played the format in Bangladesh in 2015, when they lost the three-match series 3-0.

The selectors have inducted six uncapped players, replacing senior cricketers who have faced strong criticism over inconsistent performances during the past two years, particularly in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals and did not register a win against any top-ranked side in the tournament.

Among the newcomers, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain were part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that recently faced England Lions in Abu Dhabi. None of them produced notable performances as the Shaheens lost all three T20 matches and the first of three one-day games by nine wickets. The remaining two matches were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The other uncapped players include Sahib­zada Farhan, the leading run-scorer of the ongoing domestic season, who has earned an ODI call-up, and wicket-keeper-batter Muh­a­mmad Ghazi Ghori, named as a standby opt­ion alongside former captain Mohammad Rizwan.

Despite criticism over recent performances, T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha has retained his place in the squad.

Sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the selectors were concerned about the lack of bench strength, prompting the inclusion of several new players as part of an effort to rebuild the squad and address mounting criticism over team selection.

Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shamyl Hussain.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026

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