This is something I don't agree - it might give false hope but in reality, PAK is resting 3 players - Babar, Hasan & Shaheen. We can consider Sarfraz as well since he is regular Captain, but no way he is better WK or batsman than Rizwan, while Fakhar, Shadab, Hafeez are making into the XI because PAK won't change squad before WC. And even then, Haris actually did exactly what Babar would have done in 1st 2 games, and Rizwan kept & batted better than Sarfraz could do .... where Aussies won with plenty to spare.
This is not considering that, at most 6 players from this Aussie team will play their WC games - Finch, Khwaza, one of Carey/Handscomb as WK, Cummins, Stoinis & Maxwell.
I think, these "reserve team" excuse is allowing to save some face, but I don't think with PAK's "perceived" 1st XI, result would have been different - in fact could be worse. Fakhar, Sarfraz & Hafeez won't combine better than Shan, Umar & Rizwan; playing Hasan & Shaheen means both JK & Shinwari out - who made it 20/2 this morning while Shadab is not bowling better than Yasir these days & Hasan has a stats like 60/6 in recent times. ...... Left is the fast bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, whose WC fortune is saved here by being "rested".