Veteran Babar Azam recently named his World ODI XI, notably excluding all Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Currently playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League 2026, where the team reached the final, Babar shared his selections in a video session. He surprisingly left out some of the top names in ODI Cricket.
His XI includes Australian openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, followed by Aiden Markram at No. 3 and Mohammad Rizwan at No. 4. Rachin Ravindra takes the No. 5 spot, along with England captain Harry Brook in the middle order.
For the all-rounder and spin positions, he chose Mitchell Santner and Rashid Khan. The pace attack consists of Jofra Archer, Shaheen Afridi, and Kagiso Rabada. Babar humorously named himself as the 12th man in his World ODI XI.
Babar Azam’s ODI XI:
Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Mohammad Rizwan, Rachin Ravindra, Harry Brook, Mitchell Santner, Rashid Khan, Jofra Archer, Shaheen Afridi, Kagiso Rabada.
Babar has been a consistent player in the PSL, mostly representing Peshawar Zalmi throughout his career. Although he has excelled individually, he has yet to secure a PSL title with the franchise. With Zalmi reaching the final this season, they aim for their second title, while Babar seeks his first trophy as captain. He has had a remarkable campaign, accumulating over 500 runs and nearing the 600-run mark. In the final, Zalmi will meet debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen.
In his International career, the right-handed batter has proven to be one of Pakistan’s most reliable players. He has scored 4,366 runs in 61 Tests, 6,501 runs in 140 ODIs, and 4,596 runs in 145 T20Is. Across formats, he has achieved 32 centuries and 106 half-centuries, showcasing his consistency and skill at the top level.