Pakistan’s star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are unlikely to feature in the upcoming five-match T20I series against Bangladesh, starting May 25, 2025, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) prioritises a younger, more aggressive squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The duo, Pakistan’s leading T20I run-scorers, have been absent from the format since December 13, 2024, following their exclusion from the New Zealand tour earlier this year.
International cricket set to return to Faisalabad after 17 years! 🚨
Pakistan 🇵🇰 🆚 Bangladesh 🇧🇩 T20I series schedule confirmed 🏏
More details ➡️ https://t.co/mpzCAJJqBt#PAKvBAN | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/Hr0cbZkPgd
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 30, 2025The PCB’s shift toward an explosive top order, evident in a 4-1 loss to New Zealand, favours players like Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and Sahibzada Farhan, with potential inclusions such as Hussain Talat, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, and pacer Ali Raza.
Read: PCB Shortlists Five Players for Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20I Series 2025
The series, revised from a mixed ODI-T20I format to five T20Is for World Cup preparation, will be hosted at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad (May 25, 27) and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore (May 30, June 1, 3). Bangladesh’s team arrives on May 21 and trains in Faisalabad before the opener.
While fans expected Babar and Rizwan’s return after HBL PSL 2025, the PCB’s focus on long-term strategy suggests otherwise. As Pakistan builds toward the World Cup, the series will test whether this youth-driven approach delivers or prompts a recall of the veteran pair.
