Babar Azam & Shaheen Shah Afridi Likely To Be Rested For White-Ball Series Against Zimbabwe – Reports

Star Pakistani batter and former captain Babar Azam is all set to be rested for the upcoming white-ball tour of Zimbabwe. Pakistan will travel to Zimbabwe in November and play a three-match ODI series, which will be followed by a three-match T20I series. According to a report in Cricket Pakistan on Sunday (October 20), Babar, who stepped down from ODI captaincy last year, will not be picked for the Zimbabwe tour along with star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

As per the available information, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee is “contemplating leaving out 4 to 5 key players to provide younger talent with the opportunity to gain experience in foreign conditions.”

“If the plans go ahead, it could mean that Pakistan will field a relatively inexperienced squad against Zimbabwe. However, the PCB is optimistic that this approach will pay dividends in the long run.”

Babar, who led Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024, was axed from Pakistan’s squad for the last two Tests of the ongoing three-match series against England on October 13 due to poor form. In addition to him, Shaheen, pacer Naseem Shah, and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed were also left out.

In place of Babar, Kamran Ghulam came out to bat at No. 4 for Pakistan in the second Test against England last week, and the 29-year-old right-handed batter scored a century to set up a memorable win for Pakistan in front of home fans.

After the conclusion of the three-match series in front of home fans against England, Pakistan will travel to Australia first for a white-ball series that starts on November 4. Babar is expected to be part of the team for the tour Down Under, which will have three ODIs and as many T20I matches.

It has also been reported that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will succeed Babar as Pakistan’s new white-ball captain and lead the side in the upcoming tour of Australia.

Pakistan hasn’t played an ODI match since the ODI World Cup 2023, but in the next couple of months the team will play as many as nine ODIs.