Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday, the Pakistan ODI captain said the management wants to give promising youngsters opportunities while preparing the squad for future tournaments.
“These players will play an important role in strengthening the team. We are preparing the squad to build the best combination for the World Cup,” Afridi said.
The three debutants are Maaz Sadaqat, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain.
Afridi confirmed that Sadaqat will open the batting, while Hussain is expected to bat at number three.
He added that most of the selected players have experience in domestic List A cricket and with Pakistan Shaheens.
Meanwhile, senior players Babar Azam and Saim Ayub have been rested for the series as part of the team’s rotation strategy. Fakhar Zaman has also been ruled out after suffering a hamstring injury during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and will undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.
Shaheen clarified that former captain Babar was not dropped from the squad for the Bangladesh series. “Look, no one is dropped for this series. We just want to give opportunities to our youngsters because they are our future,” he said.
“We wanted to give them the opportunity against Bangladesh. When the time comes they will know their roles and what is coming in the future. We just need to prepare our team for the World Cup, and this is a good opportunity for the youngsters to go out and show their skills.”
The three-match ODI series will begin on March 11, followed by games on March 13 and March 15 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
