The Pakistan cricket selectors are reportedly considering a significant shake-up for the upcoming white-ball tour of Zimbabwe, with senior players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, likely to be rested. 

Pakistan is scheduled to take on Australia in a white-ball series this November, which will be followed by another white-ball tour against Zimbabwe

Sources indicate that the selection committee is contemplating leaving out 4 to 5 key players to provide younger talent with the opportunity to gain experience in foreign conditions.

This strategic decision comes after Pakistan's disappointing performance in the recent Test series against England, which saw them losing the first match. The new selection committee had already excluded notable players such as Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed from the squad following that defeat. However, Pakistan bounced back to win the second Test, showcasing the potential of their spin attack. The series decider will be played in Rawalpindi from 24-28 October.

The final decision on the rested players will be made in a meeting scheduled for Sunday. If the plans go ahead, it could mean that Pakistan will field a relatively inexperienced squad against Zimbabwe. However, the PCB is optimistic that this approach will pay dividends in the long run.

The series against Zimbabwe is scheduled to begin on November 24, with three One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals. It will be a crucial opportunity for the younger players to make a statement and secure their place in the national team.

As the selectors focus on the Zimbabwe series, they are also preparing for a subsequent tour of Australia, where the team will face the Australians in three ODIs and three T20 matches, starting with the first ODI in Melbourne on November 4. It is anticipated that Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah will return for the Australia series, with Mohammad Rizwan likely taking over the captaincy from Azam.

Babar, who has faced criticism for the team's subpar performance in this year’s T20 World Cup, is expected to focus solely on his batting after being relieved of captaincy duties. The selectors aim to strike a balance between developing new talent and ensuring experienced players are primed for tougher competition ahead.