Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah to Be Dropped from Pakistan’s Tour of New Zealand

Pakistan’s journey in the Champions Trophy 2025 has ended in disappointment. As hosts, they failed to progress beyond the group stage, losing both their matches against New Zealand and India. Their early exit has led to severe criticism of both players and team management.

According to a Cricket Pakistan report, several key players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, might not be part of Pakistan’s upcoming tour of New Zealand. Their poor performances in the Champions Trophy have put them under pressure, and they may withdraw from the squad before any official announcement is made.

Pakistan’s famous pace trio—Shaheen, Naseem, and Rauf—failed to make an impact in both group matches. Babar Azam, despite scoring a fifty, struggled with a slow strike rate that did not match the team’s requirements.

Pakistan to Focus on Young Players

With the T20 World Cup 2026 and ODI World Cup 2027 approaching, Pakistan is expected to test young talents on the New Zealand tour. The team will play five T20Is and three ODIs, starting from March 16 in Christchurch and ending on April 5 in Mount Maunganui.

Pakistan’s selectors may use this opportunity to rebuild the squad after their Champions Trophy failure. An official announcement regarding the squad is expected soon.