Pakistan, March 12 -- Babar Azam and Naseem Shah have withdrawn from the National T20 Cup, choosing to focus on Pakistan's upcoming international fixtures. Their unexpected decision comes amid a tight schedule, which includes the ODI series against New Zealand and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) next month. Both players were initially expected to participate but later opted out, shifting their preparation strategy.

The National T20 Cup was seen as a crucial opportunity for Babar and Naseem to reclaim their spots in Pakistan's T20I squad after being dropped for the New Zealand series. Babar, one of Pakistan's top T20I scorers, faced criticism over his strike rate, while Naseem, recovering from injury, was also overlooked. Their absence fr...