New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) Pakistan men’s head coach Mike Hesson clarified on Monday that senior batter Babar Azam had not been “dropped” from the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh, insisting the changes were aimed at giving opportunities to emerging players.

Pakistan named a significantly altered squad for the series, leaving out several established names. Along with Babar, the selectors also omitted all-rounder Saim Ayub, injured opener Fakhar Zaman, wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah, spinner Mohammad Nawaz and fast bowler Naseem Shah.

In their place, six uncapped players, namely Sahibzada Farhan, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain have been included in the squad.

Addressing the changes, Hesson said the decisions were part of a broader effort to test bench strength rather than remove specific players from contention.

“I don’t think anyone particularly was dropped. I think, as I said, it’s a great opportunity for us to look at some younger talent,” Hesson said in the pre-match press conference.

The coach pointed out that Pakistan rarely get windows in the international calendar to experiment with fresh faces due to the frequent build-up to major tournaments.

“We get very few opportunities in the calendar to give a number of promising players opportunities. You’re either heading into a pinnacle event or just leading into it, so it depends how many players debut here,” he explained.

Hesson highlighted the strong performances of several newcomers, particularly Farhan, who impressed during the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

“There’s a lot of players that have been around the circuit for a while and have been waiting for this opportunity. Someone like Sahibzada Farhan has obviously forced his case through how well he’s done in the T20 World Cup, but he’s also done very well domestically when he’s been able to play 50-over cricket as well,” he said.

He also praised other young players included in the squad, emphasising their domestic credentials.

“Shamyl Hussain is an exciting talent, highest-run scorer in first-class cricket. He’s been exceptional, and he’s done well for the Shaheens. Maaz Sadaqat has been on the fringes for a while, so these are names that you haven’t been able to see, and it’s an opportunity for them to show how good they are in the series,” Hesson added.

Pakistan’s squad reshuffle comes after the team’s campaign in the T20 World Cup ended before the semi-finals. Despite competitive performances, Pakistan missed out on qualification due to net run rate after failing to secure a decisive result against New Zealand. The side also struggled in key matches against stronger opponents, including defeats to England and India.

–IANS

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