Lahore, March 4, 2026 – In a surprising move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dropped star batter Babar Azam from the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, scheduled from March 11 to 15 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
The ODI squad will continue to be led by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who retains his captaincy. The team also features six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain. Among them, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood, and Shamyl Hussain were part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that recently toured Abu Dhabi to face the England Lions.
🏏 Pakistan ODI Squad for Bangladesh Tour
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain)
• Abdul Samad
• Abrar Ahmed
• Faheem Ashraf
• Faisal Akram
• Haris Rauf
• Hussain Talat
• Maaz Sadaqat
• Mohammad Rizwan (WK)
• Mohammad Wasim Jr
• Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (WK)
• Saad Masood
• Sahibzada Farhan
• Salman Ali Agha
• Shamyl Hussain
📅 Series Schedule
• March 8: Pakistan arrival in Bangladesh
• March 10: Practice session
• March 11: 1st ODI – Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
• March 13: 2nd ODI – Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
• March 15: 3rd ODI – Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Cricket analysts said the omission of Babar Azam comes as a strategic move by the PCB to provide exposure to emerging players ahead of the ICC events later this year. Fans are keenly watching the squad, as the young talent is expected to gain valuable international experience, while Pakistan aims to secure a clean sweep in the Bangladesh ODIs.
This tour is also significant for Pakistan to test bench strength and build depth in their limited-overs setup under Shaheen Afridi’s leadership.