A move that signals the beginning of a new chapter for Pakistan cricket Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) The 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh has been unveiled – notably excluding the former captain Babar Azam.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, comes after Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup 2026 campaign and marks one of the most dramatic changes to the squad in recent years. What has really caught everyone’s attention is the inclusion of six uncapped players, highlighting the selectors’ clear intention to rebuild with fresh talent.
Shaheen Afridi The ODI team will continue to lead the way despite Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup at the Super Eight stage. The left-arm fast bowler has retained the captaincy as the team looks to move forward with a revamped squad. Experienced players like Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Salman Ali Aga remain part of the team, providing a sense of continuity. However, the absence of Pakistan’s most successful active ODI batsman Babar Azam has shocked fans and experts, it is the first time in his career that he has been left out of the ODI setup.
Youth have been kept at the center of Pakistan’s ODI team for Bangladesh tour.
The selectors have clearly opted to invest in youth, handing debut call-ups to six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadakat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamil Hussain. Many of these players recently featured for Pakistan Shaheens against England Lions in Abu Dhabi, giving them valuable experience against strong opposition.
Among the newcomers, Sahibzada Farhan leads the way after a sensational T20 World Cup campaign. The explosive opener finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, scoring 383 runs in six innings at an incredible average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25. He also created history by becoming the first player to score two centuries in the same edition of the tournament. Another promising name is Maaz Sadaqat, who impressed at the 2025 Rising Stars Asia Cup. The young all-rounder topped the run charts with 258 runs in five innings while maintaining a strike rate of around 178 and he also contributed by taking seven wickets.
Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 due to a hamstring injury sustained while players like Saim Ayub, Hasibullah, Mohammad Nawaz and Naseem Shah have also been ruled out. Shaheen Afridi will lead the pace attack Haris RaufMohammad Wasim Jr is providing additional support. Variety will be expected from Abrar Ahmed and Faisal Akram in the spin department.
Also read: PCB prepares to punish Pakistani players after poor performance in T20 World Cup 2026 – report
Pakistan will travel to Dhaka on March 8 ahead of the ODI series against Bangladesh, with a practice session scheduled for March 10. All three matches will be held on March 11, 13 and 15 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. The tour comes less than a year after Pakistan last toured Bangladesh, when the hosts won the T20I series in July 2025.
Pakistan’s 15-member ODI team
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 Aga, Shamil Hussain.