Pakistan drop Shaheen, Babar, Rizwan for Bangladesh T20s

Pakistan dropped stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday as they named a new-look squad for three home Twenty20 internationals against Bangladesh.

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson will take charge for the first time after being appointed last week, replacing Aaqib Javed.

Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look towards next year's Twenty20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Fast bowler Shaheen had played in Pakistan's last T20 series in New Zealand in March, but batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticised for slow scoring.

"The squad has been selected based on players' performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which concludes on May 25," the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.

Shaheen has taken 12 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in 10 PSL matches at an economy rate of 8.20.

Opener Sahibzada Farhan earned a recall after topping the PSL batting charts with 394 runs.

Batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman return after missing the New Zealand tour with injuries.

Fast bowler Hasan Ali is back after being sidelined with multiple injuries since May last year.

The PCB said that the series match schedule, which has been affected by a 10-day delay to the PSL caused by the deadly India-Pakistan conflict, will be announced soon with all three matches to be held in Lahore.

Pakistan announces T20I squad for Bangladesh series

Details here ➡️ https://t.co/43qabOHUAS#PAKvBAN | #BackTheBoysInGreen

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) May 21, 2025

According to PCB statement, middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha will lead the national side, while all-rounder Shadab Khan has been named vice-captain for the three-match series, which is scheduled to take place entirely at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium.

The squad includes key players such as Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali. Also making the squad are Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, and Saim Ayub, signalling a well-balanced mix of pace, power, and youth.

The confirmation of the series came after successful diplomatic cricket talks between the two boards. On Tuesday, PCB Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi met with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chairman Nazmul Abedin, alongside BCB President Faruque Ahmed. 

The high-level meeting concluded with an agreement that Bangladesh would send its national team to Pakistan for the three-match T20I series.

All matches will be played in Lahore, reaffirming the city’s emergence as a vital centre for international cricket in Pakistan.

Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his appreciation to the BCB for their cooperation and sportsmanship, stating that the tour would further strengthen the cricketing relationship between the two nations.