Renowned cricket analyst Dr Nauman Niaz has criticised the selection of Pakistan’s ODI side following the team’s defeat in the first one-day international against Bangladesh.
Commenting on the matter, Niaz wrote that an ODI team without Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel looks exactly as it did in the match.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Niaz said he supported the inclusion of young players and believed they should receive adequate opportunities so their pedigree could be assessed.
An ODI team without Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, & Saud Shakeel looks like this.
— Dr. Nauman Niaz (@DrNaumanNiaz) March 11, 2026
I am all for injecting youngsters in the fray & I would like them to be given ample chances, assess their pedigree, persist with them but you don’t include a bunch, all together.
Mike…
He added that a group of inexperienced players should not be included all at once.
Niaz maintained that head coach Mike Hesson should remember that an innings in an ODI consists of 50 overs and not 15.
It is pertinent to note that Bangladesh defeated Pakistan comprehensively in the first ODI, with Nahid Rana earning the player of the match award after dismantling Pakistan’s batting line-up.
