Babar, Ayub Axed from Pakistan ODI Squad for Bangladesh Series

Pakistan has dropped former captain Babar Azam and opener Saim Ayub from their ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh. Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the team, with six uncapped players, including Sahibzada Farhan, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, and Shamyl Hussain, earning their maiden call-ups Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the side after being appointed captain last year, while previous captain Mohammad Rizwan keeps his place as the wicketkeeper. T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, too, has survived the cull, while legspinner Abrar Ahmed and alrounder Faheem Ashraf are also part of the squad. Pakistan's ODI squad features several young guns eyeing their debut, including Abdul Samad, a hard-hitting T20I player, and youngsters Shamyl Hussain, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori, and Saad Masood. These players will look to make an impact under Shaheen Shah Afridi's leadership in the Bangladesh series. Pakistan's bowling unit looks solid with Abrar as the lead spinner, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Haris Rauf alongside Shaheen Afridi as pace trio. They've got Ashraf and Hussain Talat as allrounders, and Faisal Akram as secondary spinner. Looks like they're geared up for Bangladesh. Ayub's axing from what is his best format is, statistically at least, a surprise. He has three hundreds and two half-centuries in his previous 13 ODIs, and played a starring role in Pakistan's away series wins in Australia and South Africa in late 2024. His continued development as a fingerspinner has helped balance the squad in the past. Babar Azam's omission from Pakistan's ODI squad for the Bangladesh series is a significant move, considering his impressive ODI track record. His recent struggles, including a disappointing T20 World Cup with 91 runs in four innings, likely contributed to this decision. Notably, Babar had scored a century in Pakistan's last ODI series against Sri Lanka, but his overall form in 2025 was ordinary. The three-match series begins on March 11, with the second and third ODI and March 13 and 15. All three games will take place in Dhaka. Other notable exclusions include Naseem Shah, who played one match in the T20 World Cup, and Mohammad Nawaz, who had a poor tournament. Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the team, with six uncapped players, including Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, and Sahibzada Farhan, getting a chance to shine. Babar Azam's recent form, including a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign with 91 runs in four innings, led to his exclusion. Saim Ayub also failed to impress, leading to his omission. Fakhar Zaman, another notable player, has also been dropped from the squad. Pakistan squad for Bangladesh ODIs Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shamyl Hussain