The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has left out star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. The three-match series will begin on July 20.
The absence of two of Pakistan's has surprised many, considering their stature in international cricket. While both players have been central to Pakistan’s T20 setup in recent years, the selection panel seems to have gone in a different direction this time.
So why have they been left out? Let’s take a look at the reasons.
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Babar Azam's Form and Strike Rate Under Scrutiny
Babar Azam is Pakistan’s most successful batters in T20Is. He has scored over 4,200 runs in the format and averages nearly 40. However, his recent form has not been up to expectations, especially his strike-rate.
Babar has only scored 200 runs in T20Is at an average of 25 and a strike-rate of 112.99 in the last 12 months or so. In modern T20 cricket, scoring quickly is important, and Babar has struggled to do that in recent matches.
Even in the Pakistan Super League 2025 (PSL 2025), he scored 288 runs at a strike rate of 128.57. That’s not bad, but still not enough to convince selectors who are looking for more aggressive batters in the top-order.
Pakistan’s new white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson, said Babar is already working on improving.
"Babar is one of many who have the ability to make those improvements. And I’m here to work with them and help them. In the last month or so, he’s made some really good changes. It’s not just a matter of going from 125 to 150, it’s a matter of increasing what you can offer because we’re no doubt often 30-40 runs short with the bat. So, we need to find a way of getting that," Hesson said as quoted.
Shaheen Afridi's T20I Struggles Continue
Shaheen Afridi performed well in the PSL 2025, taking 19 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 7.77. Still, he has been dropped from the national T20I squad due to his recent performances at the international level.
During Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand earlier this year, Shaheen played four T20Is but took only two wickets, leaking runs at an economy of over 10.
Because of those poor numbers, the selectors decided to leave him out for the upcoming series.
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What’s Next?
Both Babar and Shaheen are still important players for Pakistan. With a T20 World Cup coming soon, Pakistan may be trying different combinations before the tournament starts.
They have found success lately having defeated Bangladesh in a home T20I series.
