Pakistan drop seven players and release head coach after England defeat

Pakistan have overhauled their squad and coaching staff midway through their Test series against England, dropping seven players after two heavy defeats.

Muhammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad all played in the series before being sent home. Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar were also released without appearing. Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have Test experience, joined five uncapped players in the revised squad.

The changes extend to the coaching staff. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul have been released, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson and former Australia seamer Ashley Noffke taking over for the third Test at Edgbaston. The match begins on 9 September.

Pakistan lost the first Test at Headingley by an innings and the second at Lord’s by 194 runs. They were dismissed for fewer than 200 in each of their four innings. The scale of the response follows a period of controversy around the team, including a Pakistan Cricket Board threat to end the second Test and tour after Sky broadcast an interview with the sons of former captain and prime minister Imran Khan. The match continued, while captain Babar Azam and Sarfaraz denied knowledge of any planned boycott.

The changes also affect Salman, who captained the first Test in place of the injured Babar Azam before being dropped for the second, and Imam, who faced criticism after not batting in either innings at Lord’s following a calf injury while fielding.