Pakistan Axes Seven Players and Coach Sarfaraz After 2-0 England Test Defeat

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken strong action after losing two Tests against England. Seven players have been sent home, and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed along with bowling coach Umar Gul have been removed from their roles. Mike Hesson, the white-ball coach, will now lead the team for the third Test at Edgbaston starting September 9.

England currently leads the three-match series 2-0 after Pakistan lost the first two Tests heavily. The PCB decided to make these changes following poor performances in both matches, where Pakistan failed to score 200 runs in any of their four completed innings.

The players released include Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. Sarfaraz and Umar Gul have also been replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who will join the team in England.

Rizwan, despite being one of Pakistan’s better scorers with 61 runs across two Tests, faced criticism for his shot selection. Imam-ul-Haq did not bat in the second Test due to a calf injury, while Salman Agha’s exit highlights the PCB’s decision to reshuffle the team.

The remaining players still on tour include Babar Azam as captain and key bowlers like Shan Masood and Sajid Khan. Five uncapped players have been added to the squad, but their participation depends on obtaining UK visas in time.

Pakistan is currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship table with 15 losses in 20 Tests. The changes aim to halt their slide before the final match at Edgbaston, but it remains unclear if these moves will address deeper issues within the team.