Pakistan selectors have stated clearly that their three senior players - Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi do not have any roles to play in the team's upcoming T20 series against West Indies and Bangladesh. The Pakistan selection panel, which includes Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, and Asad Shafiq, is expected to announce the squad for the T20 series in the West Indies and Bangladesh next week. Both the series will be played in July-August.
The selectors and Pakistan's new head coach Mike Hesson, have already communicated to Babar, Shaheen, and Rizwan about their non-requirement for the upcoming T20 series and that they focus more on Tests and ODIs. The Men in Green is set to tour to West Indies in the last week of July to play three T20Is and three ODIs.
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After facing off against the Caribbean side, Pakistan will then travel to Bangladesh for a three-match T20 series, but there are strong suggestions to make it a five-match T20 series instead of three games. Pakistan is also all set to host Afghanistan for a T20 series in late August.
Pakistan selectors keen to give longer rope to young players in the T20I format
For the unversed, the selectors want to give Pakistan's young players a proper run and the freedom to express themselves.
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“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.
It looks like Shaheen, Babar, and Rizwan's, T20I career is all but over, as the selectors want some new energy and X-factor in the team.
