Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has responded to questions surrounding the exclusion of star batsman and former captain Babar Azam from the ODI squad for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
The ODI series between Pakistan and Bangladesh starts on March 11, while the remaining matches are scheduled for March 13 and March 15.
All three matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The team announcement following Babar Azam’s dismissal created widespread debate.
However, Hesson avoided describing the decision as a player being dropped, insisting the move was part of a broader strategy to evaluate emerging talent.
Speaking to the media ahead of the series, the white-ball boss explained that the busy international schedule often leaves limited space to test new players.
According to him, the series provides a rare opportunity to evaluate domestic players who are waiting for an opportunity at the international level.
“I don’t think anyone in particular was abandoned,” Hessen said.
“I think this is a great opportunity for us to see some younger talent. We have very few opportunities in the calendar to give opportunities to many promising players. You are going towards the peak or you are going in between. So it depends on how many players make their debut here. Many players are waiting for this opportunity,” he added.
Hesson, who has impressed many players in domestic competitions as well as Pakistan Shaheens, noted that the Bangladesh series provides a platform to showcase their talent on the international stage.
“Someone like Sahibzada Farhan has obviously pressed his case with how well he has done in the T20 World Cup. But when he plays 50-over cricket he is also at his best domestically. Shamil Hussain is an amazing talent. He is the highest run-scorer in first-class cricket. Shaheens,” he said.
“Mass Sadaqat has been on the edge for a while now. So these are the names you know, the names you don’t see, it’s an opportunity to show how good they are in this series,” he concluded.
The 31-year-old has been an exceptional performer for Pakistan in the ODI format, scoring 6,501 runs in 140 matches at an average of 53.72, including 37 fifties and 20 centuries.
He last appeared for Pakistan in the ODI series at home against Sri Lanka, where he scored 29 in the opener, remained unbeaten on 102 in the second, and added 34 in the final ODI.