KARACHI: In a dramatic overhaul following successive Test thrashings by England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday released head coach Sarfraz Ahmed and seven players from the squad for the third and final Test at Edgbaston next month.
The tourists suffered an innings-and-103-run defeat in the series opener at Headingley before going down by 194 runs at Lord’s on Sunday, handing England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The side has been widely labelled one of Pakistan’s weakest in decades, prompting the PCB to take drastic action, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson replacing Sarfraz and former Australia seamer Ashley Noffke taking over from tour bowling coach Umar Gul.
A PCB statement issued on Monday confirmed that seven players had been released from the Test squad following the completion of the Lord’s Test.
The players are Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad.
It added that Sarfraz and Gul “have also been released” and will be replaced by Hesson and Noffke in the backroom staff.
The press release provided no reason for the decisions or context about any meetings that may have preceded them. Dawn reached out to the PCB for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Seven replacements have been named, including five uncapped players at Test level. Batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have played eight and two Tests respectively, return along with left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas.
The newcomers are left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr, Quaid-i-Azam Trophy 2025-26 player of the tournament, wicket-keeper-batter Saad Baig, and pace-bowling all-rounders Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah.
The updated squad for Birmingham, captained by Babar Azam, also includes Abdullah Shafique, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
BAFFLING DECISION
The decisions appear baffling when viewed against the first-class records of those called up and the performances of some of those discarded.
Most striking is the axing of left-arm spinner Ali Usman. At Headingley, the 33-year-old claimed a maiden five-wicket haul, taking 5-95 from 24 overs in England’s first innings of 409.
He became the first spinner to take five wickets in a match at the ground since Australia’s Ashley Mallett in 1972. Usman finished the series with six wickets at an average of 13.33. His bowling was one of the few bright spots for Pakistan.
Sending him home while introducing largely untested options raises questions about consistency in selection.
Among the newcomers, Saim has scored 1,608 first-class runs at 38.28, including three centuries and a highest score of 203. Abdullah Fazal has amassed 1,828 runs at 41.54, with four centuries and a highest of 182.
Arafat has 941 runs at 32.44 with one century and 22 wickets at 32.36. Saad, the Player of the Tournament in the recent Quaid-i-Azam Trophy after scoring 1,000 runs, has more than 1,370 first-class runs at an average of around 42, including four centuries.
Mohammad Imran Jnr has taken 23 wickets at 30.86 in eight matches but is not known for bowling with high pace, while Randhawa has more than 2,180 first-class runs and over 100 wickets. Razaullah has 30 wickets at 20.86 in eight matches, including three five-wicket hauls, as well as a first-class century.
Rizwan and Imam endured poor outings that make their exclusion more understandable on form alone, even if the timing remains abrupt.
Rizwan managed scores of 12 and 41 at Headingley before making seven and one at Lord’s, the latter via a careless slog-sweep. Imam scored 42 in the first innings at Headingley but then suffered a calf strain and was unable to bat in either innings at Lord’s.
Saud’s fighting 97 at Lord’s and Abbas’s nine wickets across the two Tests provided rare resistance, yet Pakistan’s batting unit managed totals of only 171, 135, 110 and 194.
Sarfraz’s departure after just two series in charge also underscores the PCB’s impatience. Appointed only months ago, the former captain has overseen five defeats in six Tests.
The rapid switch to Hesson and Noffke signals a desire for a fresh direction ahead of the Edgbaston Test, beginning on Sept 9.
Whether the influx of largely untested talent can reverse Pakistan’s fortunes remains to be seen. The wholesale changes reflect the depth of the crisis but also risk further instability at a time when cohesion is desperately needed.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2026
