NEW DELHI: Babar Azam has been dropped from Pakistan’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh, as the selectors begin reshaping the team with an eye on next year’s 50-over World Cup. The decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign in India and Sri Lanka, where they failed to reach the semi-finals.

Babar endured a lean run in the T20 tournament, managing only 91 runs. Despite that dip in form, his ODI numbers remain impressive — 6,501 runs and 20 centuries in 140 matches — making his omission a significant call. Alongside him, opener Saim Ayub, all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, and fast bowler Naseem Shah have also been left out of the 15-member squad.In a clear sign of transition, Pakistan have drafted in six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain. The three ODIs will be played in Dhaka on March 11, 13 and 15, giving the newcomers a chance to prove themselves on the international stage.Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman has been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during the T20 World Cup.Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the side, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed, as the team enters what appears to be a rebuilding phase.With the next ODI World Cup scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October next year, Pakistan seem focused on refreshing their squad and testing new combinations in the lead-up to the global event.

Abhishek Sharma and Sahibzada Farhan (Agency Image)

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has edged closer to the summit of the ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings, tightening the race with India’s Abhishek Sharma after the latest weekly update released on Wednesday.

T20I Batting Rankings

Farhan climbed to second place following a historic outing at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The right-hander became the first cricketer to score two centuries in a single edition of the tournament, bringing up his second hundred against Sri Lanka in Pallekele during the final Super 8s fixture for both sides. The knock not only lifted him one spot in the rankings but also earned him a new career-best rating.

Abhishek Sharma continues to occupy the No. 1 position, maintaining a 26-point cushion over Farhan. The Pakistan batter now sits on 848 rating points after overtaking England’s Phil Salt, having piled up 383 runs during the World Cup to significantly narrow the gap at the top. The end of the Super 8s stage has triggered several other movements in the batting charts. India’s Ishan Kishan advanced to fourth place with 783 rating points, while Tilak Varma moved up to sixth with 749 points as both broke into the top 10. South Africa’s Dewald Brevis also gained a position to settle in eighth. Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett enjoyed one of the biggest jumps, soaring six places to 11th after collecting 292 runs in the competition. South African duo Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram also progressed, rising to 13th and 16th respectively.

T20I bowling rankings

In the T20I bowling rankings, India spinner Varun Chakravarthy remains at the top, though his lead has been trimmed to just 18 points as the tournament heads into the knockout rounds. Chakravarthy has taken 12 wickets so far, but Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed is closing in after moving up two spots to third overall. Among other bowlers, India’s Jasprit Bumrah climbed to seventh, while Arshdeep Singh made a six-place leap to 13th. England’s Liam Dawson surged nine positions to share 14th place, and South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi advanced six spots to 20th. The all-rounder rankings continue to be led by Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza. India’s Hardik Pandya is now his closest challenger after moving up one place to second, displacing Pakistan’s Saim Ayub. West Indies veteran Jason Holder was another major gainer, jumping eight positions to 11th following a strong World Cup showing with both bat and ball.

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan created history in the must-win Super 8 clash against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026, going past Virat Kohli to register the highest number of runs in a single edition of the tournament on Saturday.Kohli had scored 319 runs in six innings during the 2014 T20 World Cup, a record that had stood for years.

Farhan, however, overtook that mark with another fluent knock at a crucial time for Pakistan, emphasising his dream run in this year’s competition.The big moment came in a high-pressure game. Farhan amassed 100 off 60 balls, having racked up nine 4s and five 6s. And thanks to this innings, he now holds 383 runs, 64 more runs than Kohli’s tally, in a single edition of a T20 World Cup.Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and chose to bowl first. While Sri Lanka were already out of the semifinal race, Pakistan still had a slim chance. To qualify, they needed not just a win but a massive 64-run victory to overtake New Zealand on net run rate.Pakistan made three changes to their playing XI, with Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Salman Mirza missing out. Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafay and Abrar Ahmed were drafted in. Sri Lanka also made two changes, bringing in Kamil Mishara and Janith Liyanage.Batting first, Pakistan got off to a blazing start. Farhan and Fakhar Zaman put together an unbeaten 150-run partnership in just 14 overs.Pakistan raced to 150 without losing a wicket, scoring at more than 10 runs per over. The powerplay itself yielded 64 runs, setting the tone for a strong total.With Farhan in record-breaking form and Pakistan off to a flying start, the team kept its semifinal hopes alive in style.

PAK vs SL Playing XIs

Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq.Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara (wk), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq, left, celebrates with teammates (AP/PTI)

Sahibzada Farhan’s blistering fifty and a clinical spin attack propelled Pakistan to a convincing 32-run victory over the United States in their Group A T20 World Cup clash at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday. Farhan was the star with the bat, smashing 73 off just 41 balls to guide Pakistan to a competitive 190 for nine. His aggressive innings, which included multiple towering sixes, gave Pakistan the platform to post a strong total despite losing early wickets. Babar Azam (46 off 32) supported him well, adding 81 runs for the third wicket after Pakistan slipped to 56 for two in the Power Play.

The USA openers, Shayan Jahangir (49 off 34) and Andries Gous (13 off 13), offered a solid start, reaching 50 for one after five overs. But once Pakistan’s spin quartet – Abrar Ahmed (1/30), Mohammad Nawaz (1/21), Shadab Khan (2/26), and Usman Tariq (3/27) – was introduced, the US innings struggled. Seven of the eight wickets to fall were claimed by Pakistan’s spinners, preventing any sustained partnerships. Skipper Monank Patel fell cheaply to Shadab, and Jahangir’s lofted shot was well caught by Shaheen Afridi at mid-wicket. Shubham Ranjane (51 off 30) and Milind Kumar (23) fought back with a fourth-wicket stand of 66, but the required run rate proved too steep, leaving the USA short of the target. Earlier, Pakistan had lost Saim Ayub and captain Salman Agha to Shadley van Schalkwyk’s fiery spell (4/25) in the sixth over, but Farhan’s muscle-bound assault kept the innings on track. Even as wickets fell at the back end, Shadab’s 30 off 12 balls ensured Pakistan finished with a formidable total. The win marks Pakistan’s second straight victory, taking them to the top of Group A with four points. Brief Scores: Pakistan 190/9 (Sahibzada Farhan 73, Babar Azam 46; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4/25) beat USA 158/8 (Shubham Ranjane 51, Shayan Jahangir 49; Usman Tariq 3/27) by 32 runs.