Pakistan Head Coach Breaks Silence On Babar Azam's ODI Exit; Makes Brutal Remark

Mike Hesson with Babar Azam (X.com)A few days back, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, set to be played in Dhaka from 11 to 15 March.However, what shocked the cricket world was the senior player, Babar Azam, being dropped from the squad. The decision came after the 31-year-old had a below-par T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where he managed just 91 runs from four outings with the bat. Apart from his difficulties in T20Is, the former Pakistan skipper also saw his ODI form dip in 2025, managing 544 runs across 17 innings at an average of 34.Ahead of the series, when asked about the decision to drop such senior players, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson clarified the absence of several veterans."We just see this series as an...": Mike Hesson breaks silence on dropping senior players for Bangladesh seriesIt is worth noting that apart from Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah have also been excluded from the one-day series in Bangladesh. However, ahead of the three-match series, Mike Hesson gave an official statement on the matter, saying that their omission should not be interpreted as punishment following the team’s disappointing campaign at the T20 World Cup 2026.Also read: Pakistan Squad For Bangladesh Tour Announced: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub Dropped“I wouldn’t say anyone was dropped. We just see this series as an opportunity to give these promising players a chance to prove themselves,” he said.Moreover, Hesson emphasised that the decision was purely about trying and testing new combinations and giving plenty of opportunities to promising players ahead of the ODI World Cup scheduled for next year.“Sahibzada Farhan has forced himself into the ODI squad because of his exceptional performances in T20s and then young players like Shamyl Hussain or Maaz Sadaqat have been doing well in domestic cricket and junior sides."“The series will not be easy as Bangladesh have been playing a lot more one-day cricket than us. I see this series as a big opportunity for these new players,” Hesson added.Big names dropped; New faces inNotably, the left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue as captain, leading a group that features six uncapped players.Four of the uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain – were recently part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that faced England Lions in Abu Dhabi, with a series of good showings earning their place in the squad.Farhan’s call-up comes on the back of a historic T20 World Cup campaign, where he smashed 383 runs, the highest in a single campaign in the men’s event.Squads for Pakistan Tour of Bangladesh 2026 ODI series:Pakistan: Shaheen Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Shamyl Hussain.Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Afif Hossain, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana.Also read: Biggest Win Margin By A Team In T20 World Cup Final