During the ongoing Test series against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently surprised everyone by resting senior players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. Some cricket pundits suggested that Babar and Shaheen were dropped due to their performances. Now, reports indicate that both players may also be rested for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe in November. Pakistan is scheduled to play a three-match ODI series followed by an equal number of T20 matches against Zimbabwe starting on November 24.
According to a report from Pakistan Cricket, the selection committee is allegedly considering significant changes for the upcoming limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe, which may involve resting senior players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Sources indicate that the selection committee is contemplating leaving out 4 to 5 key players to provide young talents with an opportunity to gain experience in foreign conditions.
It is worth noting that when the PCB rested senior players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Sarfaraz Ahmed during the current series against England, Pakistan won the very next match. This victory also ended a four-year home win drought for the team.
The Pakistan vs. England Test series is currently tied at 1-1, with the third and decisive Test set to take place in Rawalpindi from October 24.
The final decision on which players will be rested for the Zimbabwe tour will be made in a meeting scheduled for Sunday. If the plan goes ahead, it could mean that Pakistan will field a relatively inexperienced team against Zimbabwe. However, the PCB hopes that this approach will prove beneficial in the long run.