For their next T20I series against Bangladesh at home, Pakistan has selected a 16-man team. Notable absences include veteran keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, former captain Babar Azam, and speed star Shaheen Afridi.

According to PCB, the team was chosen based on how well each player performed throughout the current Pakistan Super League (PSL) season. Babar, Rizwan, and Afridi had already been removed from the T20 setup. The three were included in the ODI matches but were also removed from the T20I series against New Zealand earlier in April.

The itinerary for the three-match series, which will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, will be revealed in the days ahead. It will be Mike Hesson’s first series as coach.

In addition to seasoned white-ball players Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah, batter Salman Ali Agha will remain captain and all-rounder Shadab Khan will serve as his deputy.

Saim Ayub’s return to the starting lineup after his injury battle will be a boost for Pakistan. After breaking his ankle while fielding in the second Test in February, Ayub was sidelined halfway through Pakistan’s tour of South Africa earlier this year. The current PSL season marked the left-handed batter’s return to competitive cricket.

Sahibzada Farhan, a 29-year-old batsman, was rewarded for his PSL exploits by being called up to the T20I squad for the first time since 2018. He tops the PSL’s run-scoring rankings with 394 runs at a strike rate of 154.50 from his 10 PSL appearances to date.

Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha (captain) comprise the Pakistani team.