Cricket-Pakistan captain Babar rules out Malik return for T20 World Cup

FILE PHOTO: Cricket - ICC Men's T20 World Cup - Super 12 - Semi-Final - Pakistan v Australia - Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - November 11, 2021 Pakistan's Babar Azam before the start of the match REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan captain Babar Azam has ruled out a return for veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik to the Twenty20 squad ahead of the World Cup in Australia, saying the team needed to give fresh talent more opportunities to develop.

Malik, who played the last of his 124 Twenty20 Internationals against Bangladesh last November, has impressed in Pakistan's domestic T20 league and with the Asia Cup and World Cup on the horizon local media suggested the 40-year-old's experience could prove invaluable.