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Why Did PCB Drop Babar Azam And Shaheen Afridi From Pakistan Squad For Bangladesh T20Is?

Debashis Sarangi

Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi [Source: @CricketNDTV/X]Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi [Source: @CricketNDTV/X]

Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan are set to face Bangladesh in a three-match series, starting from July 20. 

Although Pakistan's squad contained several familiar faces, the absence of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi raised eyebrows among fans. As the Men in Green get ready to take on the Tigers, let's find out the reason why Babar and Shaheen failed to make it into Pakistan's T20I squad. 

Babar Azam's T20I Decline Led To His Ouster

Hailed for his scintillating stroke play, Babar Azam hasn't been the same player he once was. He has decent overall numbers; however, his recent performance in the shortest format hasn't been satisfactory. 

Since last year's T20I World Cup, Babar has managed only 200 runs at an abysmal average of 25. But more importantly, his scoring rate has been an issue for Pakistan, as the stylish right-hander hasn't quite lived up to the mark as an accelerator. In the same period, Babar's strike rate reads 112.99, signifying how tough a job it has been for him to score runs at a rapid pace. 

The Pakistan Super League presented a golden opportunity for Babar to refine his game and convince the selectors of a T20I comeback. However, unfortunately, his overall performance wasn't prolific, as he scored 288 runs at an average of 36 and a strike rate of 128.57. 

Therefore, it actually makes sense from Pakistan's perspective to choose more dynamic batters, with Babar also not giving enough confidence as a reliable anchor. 

Shaheen Afridi's Fall From Grace Summed Up

On the contrary, Shaheen Afridi was a much better performer in the Pakistan Super League, scalping 19 wickets across twelve outings at a superb strike rate of 12. However, despite his heroics in the tournament, Shaheen was excluded from the T20I squad, thanks to his recent outings in the format. 

Shaheen had a forgettable tour of New Zealand, managing only two wickets in four matches. He also failed to control the flow of runs, conceding runs at a horrible economy of 10.23. Therefore, he was left out of Pakistan's subsequent T20I assignment. 

Having said that, Pakistan's newly appointed coach Mike Hesson has clarified that both these players can make a T20I comeback only if they perform consistently at the domestic level.