KARACHI, May 21 (Agencies): Pakistan dropped stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday as they named a new-look squad for three home Twenty20 internationals against Bangladesh.
Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson will take charge for the first time after being appointed last week, replacing Aaqib Javed.
Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look towards next year's Twenty20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Fast bowler Shaheen had played in Pakistan's last T20 series in New Zealand in March, but batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticised for slow scoring.
"The squad has been selected based on players' performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which concludes on May 25," the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
Shaheen has taken 12 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in 10 PSL matches at an economy rate of 8.20.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan earned a recall after topping the PSL batting charts with 394 runs.
Batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman return after missing the New Zealand tour with injuries.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali is back after being sidelined with multiple injuries since May last year.
The PCB said that the matches, which have been affected by a 10-day delay to the PSL caused by the deadly India-Pakistan conflict, will be held in Lahore on May 28, 30 and June 1.
Meanwhile, PCB has announced the revised schedule for the three-match T20 International series between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
All matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from May 28 to June 01.
The first T20I will take place on Wednesday, May 28, followed by the second match on Friday, May 30. The series will conclude with the third and final T20I on Sunday, June 1. Each match is scheduled to begin at 8pm local time.
Bangladesh are set to arrive in Lahore on May 25. Training sessions have been planned for May 26 and 27 to help the visiting team prepare for the series.
Tuesday reports emerged that the PCB and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had agreed on a bilateral T20I series.
The agreement was reached after a detailed meeting in Dubai between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, BCB Chairman Nazmul Abedin, and BCB President Faruque Ahmed. However, the series was cut down from initial five matches to three.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his gratitude to his Bangladeshi counterparts for finalising the tour schedule and ensuring their commitment to Pakistan's international cricket calendar.
Bangladesh will be led by experienced wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das, who was officially appointed as the T20I captain earlier this year after Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped down.
Off-spinner Mahedi Hasan has been named vice-captain for both the UAE and Pakistan tour.
It is pertinent to mention that the series had faced uncertainty due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan, as well as the mid-season postponement of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Originally, Bangladesh was scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on May 21 in two groups, with a five-match T20I series set to begin on May 25 in Faisalabad. However, logistical adjustments and security considerations have now led to a revised three-match series.
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub.
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