Mohsin Naqvi’s PCB Hit Panic Button: Pakistan Head Coach & 7 Players Dropped Ahead Of 3rd England Test

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally pushed the panic button on Monday, dropping seven players and two coaches from the Test squad in England. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were summoned home by the Pakistan Cricket Board and will be replaced by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively, for the third and final Test in Birmingham, starting on September 9.

As many as seven players have been dropped from the squad after heavy defeats in the first two Tests against England. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, injured opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman and pacer Khurram Shahzad, who all played in the second Test defeat at Lord’s on Sunday, were also sent home. All-rounder Aamir Jamal and batter Awais Zafar were also among those returning despite not getting a game in England.

The selectors recalled opening batter Saim Ayub, who has played eight Tests, and Abdullah Fazal, who was pulled out of the England tour after suffering an injury in the West Indies. The five uncapped players travelling to England include spin allrounder Arafat Minhas, fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jr., wicketkeeper Saad Baig, and fast-bowling allrounders Mohammad Imran and Razaullah.

Imam’s torn calf drew criticism in the Pakistan media, especially from former chief selector Mohammad Wasim. Imam suffered the low-grade injury while fielding on the first day at Lord’s and did not play the rest of the match.

Rizwan’s overambitious shot selection against England, including his attempted slog against Ollie Robinson on Sunday that trapped him lbw, led to his axing.

Pakistan’s dismal run in red-ball cricket continued during Ahmed’s short tenure of around three months, with the team losing five of its six away matches, including two in Bangladesh, one in the West Indies and two in England.

Pakistan are yet to cross the 200-run mark in the ongoing Test series, losing by an innings and 103 runs in Leeds and by 194 runs at Lord’s.

Babar Azam’s second stint as Test captain also could not turn around Pakistan’s Test results after the team sacked Shan Masood in May. Babar drew the series against the West Indies 1-1, but England has taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan has lost 10 of its last 11 away Tests.

A finger injury ruled Babar out of the first Test in Leeds, where Agha led the side, but he was dropped for the second Test.