Pakistan overhaul squad, drop seven players and release head coach after England defeat
Following two heavy Test defeats to England, Pakistan have made sweeping changes ahead of the series finale, dropping seven players, releasing their head coach and calling up several uncapped newcomers.
Pakistan's cricket team has made dramatic changes to its squad and coaching staff after suffering two lopsided defeats to England in the opening Tests of the series, ahead of the decisive third match at Edgbaston.
Seven players have been dropped from the squad, including Muhammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad, all of whom had featured earlier in the series. Two others, Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar, were sent home without getting a game.
In their place, seven new players have been called up. Batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal both have prior Test experience, while five uncapped players — Arafat Minhas, Mohammed Imran Jr, Said Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah — join the squad for the first time.
Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant coach Umar Gul have also been released. They will be replaced by Pakistan's white-ball coach Mike Hesson and former Australia bowler Ashley Noffke.
The third and final Test begins in Birmingham on 9 September. Pakistan lost the first Test at Headingley by an innings and the second at Lord's by 194 runs, failing to reach 200 in any of their four innings so far.
Among those dropped is Salman, who captained the side in the first Test while Babar Azam was injured, before being left out for the second match. Opener Imam-ul-Haq was also dropped, having faced criticism at Lord's for not batting in either innings despite suffering a calf injury while fielding.
The overhaul follows controversy during the second Test, when the Pakistan Cricket Board threatened to abandon the remainder of the match and tour after a broadcaster aired an interview with the sons of former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned for three years on corruption charges he denies. The match was ultimately completed, with both the captain and head coach denying knowledge of any planned boycott.
