Babar faces possible exclusion as PCB readies 5-6 changes for NZ tour

After a disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan national cricket team is set to make 5 to 6 changes for the upcoming New Zealand tour, with senior players, including Babar Azam, being rested.

Sources revealed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently visited the National Cricket Academy to engage with the country’s promising domestic players. The meeting, which involved a candid exchange of views, allowed Naqvi to listen to the concerns of the players, who expressed their hopes and challenges in the current cricketing landscape.

The domestic players present at the meeting included Haider Ali, Moaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Suleman, Khawaja Nafi, Saad Masood, Afaq Afridi, Mubasir Khan, Faisal Akram, Qasim Akram, Irfan Minhas, Mirza Tahir Baig, Ahmad Daniyal, Ali Reza, and Muhammad Ibtisam.

Sources close to the PCB revealed that the final squad for Pakistan’s upcoming tour to New Zealand will be selected from this group of 16 players.

It is expected that the selection will include five to six younger talents, with the current selection committee set to make the final decisions.

The announcement of the squad is expected within the next three to four days, marking the next step in Pakistan’s preparations for international competition.

The timing of the meeting comes after a disappointing campaign for Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they were eliminated early after consecutive losses.

Pakistan’s opening match on against New Zealand ended in a 60-run defeat as the Team’s woes continued on February 23, when India defeated them by 6 wickets in a high-pressure encounter.

Rain on February 27 washed out the match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, with each team earning one point. As a result, both sides were eliminated from the tournament, ending their hopes of advancing further.

It is worth noting that the Pakistan team will take part in a series consisting of 5 T20 and 3 ODI matches during their tour of New Zealand.

The first T20 International between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played in Christchurch on March 16, followed by the second T20 in Dunedin on March 18, and the third T20 in Auckland on March 21.

The fourth match will be held in Mount Maunganui on March 23, with the fifth and final T20 scheduled for Wellington on March 26.

The three-match ODI series will begin with the first match in Napier on March 29, followed by the second match in Hamilton on April 2, 2025, and the third match in Mount Maunganui on April 5.