Babar, Rizwan, Naseem perform Umrah after Champions Trophy debacle

Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and Naseem Shah  arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah during the holy month of Ramadan.

The players will complete the sacred pilgrimage before departing for New Zealand to participate in the upcoming ODI series.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Naseem Shah are part of Pakistan’s ODI squad, while the T20 squad will travel to New Zealand first. The ODI players will join them later.

Read more: Babar, Rizwan dropped from T20I as PCB announces squad for NZ tour

Pakistan and New Zealand are set to play a five-match T20I series from March 16 to March 26, followed by a three-match ODI series. The ODIs will be played on March 29, April 2, and April 5.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to introduce young players in the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand following the national team’s disappointing performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, sources confirmed.

Check: ‘Mind your choice of words:’ Babar Azam's father fires back at his critics

Earlier, it was reported that several senior players, including Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Babar Azam, are reportedly considering a break from international cricket following their underwhelming Champions Trophy campaign.

Pakistan was eliminated from the tournament after heavy defeats to India and New Zealand, while their match against Bangladesh was washed out.