Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi Likely to Be Rested for Zimbabwe White-Ball Series

• Senior players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are likely to be rested.
• The selection committee is considering leaving out 4 to 5 key players to allow younger talent to gain experience in foreign conditions.
• The final decision on player resting will be made in a meeting on Sunday.

Pakistan is set to face Australia in a white-ball series this November, followed by a tour of Zimbabwe. The Pakistan cricket selectors are reportedly planning a major overhaul for the upcoming white-ball tour of Zimbabwe, with senior players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi likely to be rested.

Scheduled after Pakistan’s white-ball series against Australia in November, the Zimbabwe tour will also feature white-ball matches.

Sources suggest the selection committee is considering leaving out 4 to 5 key players to allow younger talent to gain experience in foreign conditions.

This decision comes after Pakistan's underwhelming performance in the recent Test series against England, where they lost the first match. Following that defeat, the new selection committee had already excluded key players like Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed. However, Pakistan bounced back to win the second Test, thanks to their spin attack, with the series decider set for October 24-28 in Rawalpindi.

The final decision regarding which players will be rested will be made in a meeting on Sunday. If approved, Pakistan could field a less experienced squad against Zimbabwe, but the PCB believes this approach will yield long-term benefits.

The Zimbabwe series will begin on November 24, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, providing a crucial opportunity for young players to stake their claim in the national team.

As the selectors focus on Zimbabwe, they are also preparing for a subsequent tour of Australia, where Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20s, starting on November 4 in Melbourne. It is expected that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah will return for the Australia series, with Mohammad Rizwan likely stepping in as captain.

Babar, who has been criticized for the team's performance in this year’s T20 World Cup, is expected to focus on his batting after stepping down as captain. The selectors aim to balance developing new talent while ensuring seasoned players are ready for tougher challenges ahead.

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