Pakistan have taken instant and dramatic action after back-to-back Test thrashings by England, ousting head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and sending seven squad members home.
The tourists lost by an innings in the series opener at Headingley before going down by 194 runs at Lord’s as England took an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Amid debates over whether it is one of the country’s worst ever sides, the Pakistan Cricket Board has provided its own answer ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston – parachuting white-ball coach Mike Hesson to replace Sarfaraz and radically changing the playing group.
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The chaotic developments also see bowling coach Umar Gul stood down, with former Australian international Ashley Noffke stepping in alongside New Zealander Hesson.
The axed players include Salman Ali Agha – who captained the first Test in Leeds – experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq, who surprisingly declined to bat in either innings at Lord’s due to a low grade calf strain.
Mohammad Rizwan is one of seven players sent home after Pakistan’s Lord’s Test defeat. Credit: AAP
Seamer Khurram Shahzad and spinner Ali Usman, who have both taken six wickets across two appearances, have also been deemed expendable alongside unused squad members Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Zafar.
Saim Ayub, who played all three Tests against England on home soil in 2024, comes in as a batting replacement and opener Abdullah Fazal is back after featuring against Bangladesh in May.
Allrounder Arafat Minhas has represented Pakistan in seven white-ball matches but left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr, teenage wicketkeeper Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah are all uncapped.
The Pakistan squad are due to be granted an audience with King Charles this week at Clarence House, though it is unclear how many of the revamped squad will be on hand for the 15-minute engagement.
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