Big names out, new faces in when Pakistan dropped stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as they named a new-look 16-player squad on Wednesday for upcoming three-match T20I series 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 lead the side, with Shadab Khan as his deputy when Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah return, while Saim Ayub makes a comeback after recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the South Africa tour. Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look towards next year's Twenty20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Top PSL run-scorer Sahibzada Farhan, who last played a T20I in 2018, is also recalled. The 29-year-old has scored 394 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 154.50.
Meanwhile, 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 series match schedule, which has been affected by a 10-day delay to the PSL caused by the deadly India-Pakistan conflict, will be announced soon with all three matches to be held in Lahore.
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.
