Pakistan drop Babar for Bangladesh ODI series

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Babar Azam walks out after being run-out during the match between Pakistan and Netherlands on October 30 at the T20 World Cup. — AFP/File
Babar Azam walks out after being run-out during the match between Pakistan and Netherlands on October 30 at the T20 World Cup. — AFP/File

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam was dropped from the squad for a One-Day International series against Bangladesh, despite scoring a century in his last ODI series.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-man squad on Wednesday that excluded Babar who made an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka in November.

He endured a torrid time at the Twenty20 World Cup, however, managing just 91 runs across four innings as Pakistan exited at the Super Eight stage.

Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the side for the three-match series starting next week in Dhaka.

The PCB called up six uncapped players including Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain who played against the England Lions in Abu Dhabi before the series was called off due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Junior, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha and Shamyl Hussain.

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