Pakistan overhauled their Test squad ahead of the Edgbaston match, releasing seven key players following the Lord's defeat
Captain Babar Azam revealed at a Birmingham press conference that the PCB's selection decision came as a surprise to him
The dropped players include Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad
Pakistan will go into the third and final Test against England with a revamped squad, a new coaching setup and captain Babar Azam urging his side to play without fear. The series is already out of reach. Pakistan trail 0-2 after heavy defeats at Headingley and Lord’s. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded with a sweeping mid-series overhaul, Times of India reported.
The PCB dropped seven players from the touring party and removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul after the Lord’s defeat. Five players without Test experience have joined the squad, while Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke are in charge for the Edgbaston Test. With Pakistan already out of contention for the series, Babar said the changes could still give the newcomers a chance to make an impact.
“The series is lost but we have nothing to lose,” Babar said on the eve of the Test. “We should play freely and believe in ourselves as a team.”
Babar Reacts To Shake-up
Babar said the board's overhaul came as a surprise to him.
“It was news to me,” he said. “I found out after.”
He then pushed questions on the overhaul back to the board. “The PCB decided it, so they will be able to explain better. The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process. It's better if you ask them why.”
For now, Babar wants the squad to move on quickly. “We've practised a couple of days and explained things to the new boys. Any young player who comes in is excited, and that excitement is visible. I believe that will be visible in the match, too,” he added.
Selection And Injuries
Pakistan's results across the opening two Tests have been poor.
“We didn't play well in all three facets as a team,” Babar said. “And when you don't get results, then you'll get plenty of criticism from outside. But we did what we thought was best at the time.”
He also defended the team selections in the first two Tests and the way Pakistan read conditions. “The way we read the pitch and conditions, the XIs we went with were what we thought was best at the time. But we did not get the results or performance we expected of ourselves.”
A hurt finger sidelined Babar at Headingley. He returned at Lord's but managed just eight and six during a 194-run loss, calling on experienced teammates to lead in Birmingham.
“I firmly believe you need to grab opportunities and perform in difficult conditions,” Babar said. “That's why we play cricket, because we have to perform and dominate in difficult conditions. We need to forget about past failures and shift focus to the future,” he said.
The mass cull reflected the team's turmoil. Following the Lord's defeat, the PCB removed Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. Babar now has to direct the remaining group in Birmingham.
Board Inquiry And Root
The uncertainty has not stopped with selection changes.
Off-field issues mounted. The PCB launched an internal investigation into matters of “discipline and conduct”. The move created fresh doubts over the squad before the Edgbaston clash.
England captain Joe Root, however, rejected the suggestion that Pakistan had lacked fight in the series. “We've found Pakistan a challenge,” Root said.
He went further in defence of the tourists. “I think that's a bit disrespectful to both Pakistan as a team and to us as a team.” “I don't think we've allowed them to get into games because of how well we've played and how quickly we've read the situations and the surfaces that we've had.”
