Pakistan drops Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi from upcoming T20 plans. Selectors eye fresh talent ahead of West Indies and Bangladesh series. Major shift in Pakistan cricket strategy.
T20 Shockwave: Pakistan Benches Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi Ahead of Crucial Tours
Pakistan’s selectors have made shock waves throughout world cricket with their decision to omit big names Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi from their T20 International plans. At a time when the national team will play 11 Test matches, a similar number of ODIs and even more T20 internationals on tour, India’s newest Test opener’s correctly redeemed move hints at a sea-change in the team-building mantra.
Selectors Signal a New Era in T20 Plans
As far as the senior players are concerned, it has already been felt in the BCCI corridors, where it was made loud and clear that the seniors will be auto-excluded from the T20 squad for the upcoming West Indies and Bangladesh series. The national selection committee led by Zakir Javed has been inclined towards experimenting with the new legs and fresh minds for the shortest format of the game, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, and Asad Shafiq were also part of the selection.
Focus Shifts to Test and ODI Cricket for Senior Trio
According to a report by a website, Babar, Rizwan and Afridi have been told by head coach Gary Kirsten and selectors that they should focus more on red-ball and one-day cricket making it clear that they are no longer in need of filling the vacuum created by the retirements of senior pros. The move looks less like a snub and more like a strategic pivot.
Upcoming Series Set the Stage for Young Blood
Pakistan are set to tour the West Indies in late July with three T20s and three ODIs, then travel to Bangladesh in August. The Bangladesh T20 series was originally a three-game series, but discussions are still continuing for it to be extended to an elongated much larger five games – allowing even more fresh talent to shine.
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Afghanistan, Asia Cup, and T20 World Cup on the Horizon
The Men in Green are also due to have Afghanistan over for a T20 series later in August, all in the lead-up to the Asia Cup in September – should it be confirmed – and the ICC T20 World Cup in early 2021. Well, they are, after all, trial matches, and Pakistan is bent on trying out every human permutation it can on the stage before the stage.
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A Safety Net: Return Always Possible
A source within the selection panel stated, “If the new lineup doesn’t click, Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen can always be recalled.” This flexible approach hints at calculated experimentation, not complete exclusion.
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With bold calls and bolder strategies, Pakistan cricket might just be turning the page on a new T20 chapter—one where youth gets the first crack, while the veterans sharpen their swords for the formats that need their class the most.
