Pakistan has made a significant decision to drop Babar Azam from their squad for the remainder of the Test series against England, as per a report from The Independent. This major shake-up also includes leaving out strike bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah from the team.
The team’s revamped selection panel reacted swiftly to Pakistan’s six consecutive defeats under new captain Shan Masood, as well as their winless streak at home spanning over two-and-a-half years. These changes come following England’s innings victory in the first Test of the series.
Babar Azam, who has been a standout player for Pakistan cricket in recent times and currently holds the top spot in ODIs, finds himself omitted from the squad for the second and third matches. The 29-year-old has been struggling for form in Test matches, with his last century scored back in December 2022 and a top score of only 41 runs in his last 18 innings.
In a surprising move, key seamers Shaheen and Naseem have also been dropped after just one match post their return from injury. Additionally, spinner Abrar Ahmed has been ruled out due to dengue fever, while reserve wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been released from the squad.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had recently appointed five new members to its selection panel, including former ICC umpire Aleem Dar. The new squad sees the introduction of uncapped players Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, and Kamran Ghulam, along with Mohammad Ali and Sajid Khan. Veteran spinners Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, aged 38 and 36 respectively, have also made a comeback after being part of the original training group for the series.
Selector Aqib Javed stated, “We’ve had to carefully consider current player form, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding 2024-25 international schedule. With these factors in mind and in the best interest of Pakistan cricket as well as the players, we’ve made the decision to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi.”
Javed added, “We are confident that this break from international cricket will help these players regain their fitness, confidence and composure, ensuring they return in top shape for future challenges. They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket. We are fully committed to supporting them during this period so they can come back even stronger.”