Major shake-up in Pakistan cricket as key players including Babar Azam and Haris Rauf dropped from squad for New Zealand series

New Delhi: The Pakistan team was under immense pressure but failed to deliver on the big stage. Their disappointing performance in the first two matches led to an early elimination, and their final group stage match against Bangladesh was washed out by rain.

Pakistan, the previous champions of the tournament, concluded their CT 2025 campaign in last place without securing any victories. Their upcoming challenge will be in Australia, where they will face New Zealand.

Fans throughout Pakistan are seeking new concepts. They are expected to see their desires fulfilled this time, as some of the established players on the team might be absent.

A report from Cricket Pakistan indicates that several prominent players on the team, such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, could face removal from the squad due to their underwhelming performances in the tournament. To prevent the humiliation of being dropped, these athletes are allegedly contemplating the option of not participating in the upcoming tour to New Zealand.

Babar Azam, the prominent batsman from Pakistan, scored a fifty in one of the matches; however, his slow strike rate was not suitable for the circumstances. Additionally, the highly anticipated pace trio of Shaheen, Naseem, and Haris did not perform as expected during crucial moments.

Additionally, Faheem Ashraf might also be excluded. Fakhar Zaman, who was included in the Champions Trophy squad, has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury and will be unable to participate.

Pakistan is expected to utilize the upcoming tour of New Zealand to evaluate emerging players and restructure its team in preparation for the T20 World Cup in 2026 and the 50-over World Cup in 2027. Additionally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to dismiss the entire coaching staff of the national team.