Pakistan sack coach and send seven players home after England defeat
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
Newswire
Official statement
Outcome reported
- Pakistan replaced head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and released seven players after England took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in their three-Test series.
- Mike Hesson will replace Ahmed, while Ashley Noffke will take over from tour bowling coach Umar Gul before the third Test at Edgbaston.
- Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha are among those sent home after Pakistan's heavy losses at Headingley and Lord's.
Pakistan responded to successive heavy defeats by England by removing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and releasing seven players from its Test squad. The changes came after England won the opening match by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley and the second by 194 runs at Lord's, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has today announced that seven players have been released from the Test squad following completion of the Lord's Test
The Pakistan Cricket Board said Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad had been released after the Lord's Test. Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq did not bat in either innings at Lord's because of calf injuries. Salman Ali Agha had served as stand-in captain at Headingley while regular captain Babar Azam was injured.
White-ball coach Mike Hesson will replace former Pakistan captain Ahmed, and former Australia fast bowler Ashley Noffke will take over from tour bowling coach Umar Gul. The reshaped staff and squad will prepare for next month's third Test at Edgbaston.
Additionally, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have also been released and will be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke in the backroom staff.
The defeats have brought unusually harsh criticism, with the team described as one of Pakistan's worst in decades. England's series win also ended a run without a multi-match series victory dating back to December 2024. Joe Root urged England to celebrate in a "grown-up way" after the second-Test win, which followed a troubled period involving alcohol-related incidents and disciplinary measures around the England squad.
grown-up way
About this summary
Originally published by Gulf Today in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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