Mike Hesson’s revamped Pakistan will host a youthful Bangladeshi squad in Lahore starting Wednesday in three Twenty20 internationals, setting the stage for next year’s World Cup.
After suffering a severe decline over the past 12 months, Pakistan, the 2009 world champions, lost badly in the opening round of the 2024 World Cup.
They have fallen to seventh place in the T20I standings having only won three of their previous 13 T20Is, including two against Zimbabwe, a minnow.
With the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in just eight months, they are turning to younger players under the leadership of Hesson, a new head coach from New Zealand.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the pace leader, and star batsman Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan have all been fired.
