Pakistan stalwarts Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s T20I careers are all but over as the team management and the selection committee have reportedly told them that they are not required for the shortest format, at least as of now.
The trio, considered as pillars of Pakistan cricket in all formats in the last five or six years or so, would not be picked in the Pakistan T20I squad for the upcoming T20 series against West Indies and Bangladesh, reported news agency PTI, quoting sources.
The report said, PCB selectors Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq and newly appointed head coach Mike Hesson have already informed Babar, Rizwan and Afridi that they won’t be considered for T20Is. They have been told to focus on ODIs and Tests. The Pakistan T20I squad is likely to be announced for the series in the West Indies and Bangladesh next week. The two series will be played in July-August.
Pakistan is due to tour the West Indies in the last week of July to play three T20 internationals and three ODIs.
Pakistan, after playing in the Caribbean, will fly to Bangladesh for a three-match T20 series, but suggestions have been made to convert it into a five-match series in August.
Pakistan is also due to host Afghanistan for a T20 series in late August, all in preparation for the Asia Cup in September (not confirmed as yet) and early next year’s ICC World T20 Cup.
Pakistan selectors want to give a long run to newcomers
A source close to a national selector told PTI that the panel and Hesson wanted to give a proper run to the new young players in the T20 squad in the series ahead.
“The idea is that if things go south, then the selectors can always go back to Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen.” Ironically, Shaheen has now led the Lahore Qalandars franchise to its third Pakistan Super League title in five years.
Babar, on the other hand, is set to announce a first-time appearance in the Big Bash for the Sydney Sixers later this week after the board gave him and some other players NOCs to play in the event between December 28 and late January.
The three seniors have not been picked in the national T20 squad for Pakistan’s last two series against New Zealand and Bangladesh, and even before that, Babar was overlooked for the T20 series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.