Pakistan's national selectors have omitted three of the country's biggest cricketing stars — Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan — from the latest T20 squads.
According to the sources, the squads are being finalised for Pakistan's upcoming away assignments, which include a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in July. Although not yet officially announced, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has submitted a preliminary schedule to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Despite Shaheen Afridi's impressive performances in the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL), sources close to the PCB have disclosed that concerns about his attitude significantly influenced the decision to exclude him.
Former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have also been absent from the T20I setup for some time. Their last appearance in the shortest format came during the 2024 series against South Africa.
The revamped T20 squad, featuring several fresh faces, is expected to face Bangladesh next month before taking on the West Indies in a crucial limited-overs series in the USA.
The final squad selections were made during a key meeting of the national selection committee. The meeting was attended by head coach Mike Hesson, T20I captain Agha Salman, selectors Aaqib Javed and Aleem Dar, and newly inducted committee members Sarfaraz Ahmed and Sikandar Bakht.
PCB reshuffles national selection committee
Former Test cricketers Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq have been removed from the national selection committee while former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and former Test cricketer and analyst Sikandar Bakht have been included in the revamped selection committee, according to reliable sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Sources also confirmed that on Thursday, Sikandar Bakht was summoned to Lahore for a selection committee meeting, while Sarfaraz Ahmed, currently in England, participated via video conference.
The meeting also included head coach Mike Hesson, captain Salman Ali Agha, and selectors Aaqib Javed and Aleem Dar. During the meeting, the Pakistan squads for next month's T20I series against Bangladesh and the upcoming T20Is against the West Indies in the USA were finalised.
Sources disclosed that Asad Shafiq is now focusing on his responsibilities at the Karachi High Performance Centre and with the Women's Selection Committee, while Azhar Ali has been assigned to youth development programs. Sarfaraz Ahmed's cricketing insight and the respect he commands among players have led the PCB to consider multiple roles for him.
Since retiring from active cricket, Sarfaraz has expressed interest in working closely with the board, which is keen to leverage his expertise.
Sikandar Bakht, returning to the PCB fold for the first time since serving as team analyst in 2003, is seen as a trusted associate of PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
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