Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi out of PAK squad for new tournament [Source: AFP]In a significant development, the PCB announced a 28-member squad for a new tournament scheduled prior to the Australia ODIs. The Pakistan cricket team will cross swords with Australia in three ODIs on home soil between May 30 and June 4. Ahead of the highly anticipated series, the PCB plans to conduct a tournament featuring intra-squad matches. The board has shortlisted 28 white-ball specialists, who'll feature in the intra-squad fixtures at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. However, the experienced duo of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi has been excluded from the list. PCB shortlists 28 players for NCA campOn Wednesday, the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB released an official statement, announcing a seven-day white-ball camp at the NCA. The Pakistan board has shortlisted 28 players, who will participate in the camp to train and fine-tune their skills ahead of the three-match ODI series against Australia. The camp will be held from May 15 to 21 at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. The white-ball camp will feature intense practice sessions and a tournament comprising multiple intra-squad matches. Also Read: Shan Masood Makes Shocking Revelation On Babar Azam's Exit From 1st TestThe performance of the players will be monitored and assessed by Pakistan's white-ball coach Mike Hesson, who, in turn, will choose in-form players from the 28-member pool. According to the PCB statement, the NCA coaching staff will work alongside the coaches of the Pakistan team to help the players prepare better for the ODI series against Australia. PCB summons young talents to Lahore camp; No Babar Azam and Shaheen AfridiThe PCB has summoned several promising talents, including under-19 World Cup sensations- Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza- to the NCA, where they will participate in the intra-squad competition. As the Men in Green begin preparations for the 2027 World Cup, the focus will be on these young players, who would be keen to earn maiden ODI call-ups for the Australia series. Senior players like Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman and Abdul Samad have also been shortlisted for the NCA camp, with Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi missing out on selection. These two players are currently engaged in a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which concludes on May 20. Therefore, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi might link up with their teammates just prior to the home series, provided they get picked in the Pakistan squad vs Australia. Apart from Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan are two prominent players who have missed out on selection for the white-ball camp due to their participation in the Bangladesh Test series. Among the young players, Maaz Sadaqat, Khawaja Nafay, Hunain Shah and Faisal Akram find themselves in the 28-man list, with Pakistan aiming to revamp their core by adding fresh faces to the ODI setup. Pakistan team for intra-squad tournament at NCAAamir Jamal, Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Hamza Nazar, Haris Rauf, Hunain Shah, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Saad Baig, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufiyan Moqim and Usman KhanAlso Read: Who Is Macneil Noronha? CSK Squad's Latest Addition For IPL 2026
