Pakistan’s forthcoming T20I series against the West Indies and Bangladesh will not feature the experienced players like Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The national team selectors, namely Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and Aleem Dar, along with the new head coach Mike Hesson, have reported that the trio of cricketers would be sidelined from the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Also, they were instructed to shift their focus completely to One Day Internationals (ODIs) and World Test Championship (WTC).

So, it becomes clear that the young players will get more opportunities to be a part of the 20-over squad. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selectors are expected to reveal the squad for both series in the subsequent week.

Will Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi Retire from T20Is?

Earlier, Babar and Rizwan hadn’t come up with a decision regarding their T20I careers, particularly after being sidelined in their previous two T20I series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

While Shaheen participated in the 5-match T20I series against New Zealand in March 2025, he was dropped in the last game due to his poor performance. Also, the latest sources reveal that the young pace bowler wasn’t cooperative with his captain, Salman Ali Agh, and team management, which prompted the selectors to rule him out of the 20-over squad.

Based on the recent reports, Mike Hesson personally met the three-star cricketers during their practice session in Lahore to discuss his plans for selection. However, it is reported that Salman Ali opposed Shaheen’s involvement in the T20 format as he preferred youngsters and prepared a solid plan.

PCB Wants to Move On Without Babar and Rizwan

Meanwhile, the PCB management has voiced their opinion to proceed without Babar and Rizwan in T20Is:

“Yes! The management of the Pakistan cricket team and the selection committee have decided to continue without Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan in T20Is.

However, the head coach, Mike Hesson, and captain Salman Ali Agha said that they might still be selected in the future. But the main reason for avoiding them is their slow scoring rate and lack of form that hurt their team’s performance in recent matches,” the senior PCB official said.

Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan’s Performance in their Recent T20I Matches

Let’s analyze how Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammed Rizwan performed in their recent T20I matches:

Babar Azam:

Babar made his last T20I appearance in the 3-match home series against South Africa in December 2024, and the following table illustrates his performance:

Mohammed Rizwan:

As one of the PCB officials said, Mohammed Rizwan’s scoring rate has been slower in his last T20I series against South Africa in the previous year. In the first T20I match, he scored 74 runs, but faced 62 deliveries, which shows his lack of aggressive approach in the T20 format.

Shaheen Shah Afridi:

Pakistan’s recent tour of New Zealand marked Shaheen Afridi’s last appearance in the T20Is. In 4 matches, the left-arm medium pacer managed to grab only 2 wickets at an average of 66.50 and an economy of 10.23, and here is a detailed list of his performance in the 5-match 20-over series:

• 1st T20I: 0/17 in 2 overs (Pakistan Lost by 9 Wickets)
• 2nd T20I: 0/31 in 3 overs (Pakistan Lost by 5 Wickets)
• 3rd T20I: 2/36 in 4 overs (Pakistan Won by 9 Wickets)
• 4th T20I: 0/49 in 4 overs (Pakistan lost by 115 Runs)
• 5th T20I: Did Not Play (Pakistan Lost by 8 Wickets)

It is to be noted that Pakistan secured their only victory in the series where Afridi bagged 2 wickets in the 3rd T20I.

Conclusion

Apart from the T20I series against West Indies and Bangladesh, Pakistan is scheduled for 20-over contests with Afghanistan, Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia. This helps them to enhance their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Babar Azam shifts his focus to the Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15 as he feels excited about his maiden stint with the three-time champions Sydney Sixers. Also, the PCB has granted NOC to Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, and other players between December 28 and the last week of January to participate in BBL.

Possibly, these three seniors wouldn’t be selected in the national T20 squad for the forthcoming clashes, and their participation remains uncertain for the next 10th edition of the T20 World Cup.

PCB’s decision to sideline the high-profile players left fans divided with multiple opinions. Few of them appreciated it as a strategic move, as the Pakistani star cricketers haven’t been able to live up to their expectations. While others believe that the absence of these trio players could leave the inexperienced squad struggling against competitive teams.