The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a significant overhaul of its national team following a disastrous start to the Test series against England. Following consecutive heavy defeats, the board has dismissed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and released seven players from the Test squad, signaling a dramatic shift in direction ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston next month.
Pakistan’s performance in the opening two matches has been widely criticized, with the team suffering an innings and 103-run loss at Headingley, followed by a 194-run defeat at Lord’s on Sunday. These results have handed England an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
In an official statement released on Monday, the PCB confirmed the departure of several key figures. The seven players released from the squad are Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. Salman Ali Agha, who served as stand-in captain at Headingley while regular skipper Babar Azam was sidelined with an injury, is among those returning home.
The coaching staff is also undergoing a major transition. Alongside the removal of Sarfaraz Ahmed, bowling coach Umar Gul has been released. They are set to be replaced by Mike Hesson and former Australian seamer Ashley Noffke, respectively, as the board attempts to address what many have labeled one of the country’s worst team performances in decades.
For England, the series win marks their first multi-match series victory since December 2024. Captain Joe Root, who returned to the leadership role following the retirement of Ben Stokes, has seen his side dominate through a new-look pace quartet featuring Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson. This bowling unit proved decisive at Lord’s, dismantling Pakistan for just 194 runs in their final innings.
The series has not been without its own internal challenges for England. The build-up to the second Test was marred by the arrest of fast bowler Brydon Carse, who was dropped after being handcuffed by police outside a Derby nightclub. This incident followed a string of off-field controversies involving alcohol, including an altercation involving white-ball captain Harry Brook in Wellington and disciplinary issues during the Ashes series against Australia.
These recurring behavioral problems previously led to the implementation of a strict curfew, which saw players like Stokes and Atkinson stood down from the second Test against New Zealand in June. Upon reassuming the captaincy, Root opted to remove the curfew, instead calling for players to demonstrate greater personal responsibility.
Reflecting on the team’s conduct and their recent success, Root emphasized the need for professionalism. “It’s important we’re not talking about that, absolutely,” Root stated. “It’s hard to win Test matches, hard to win Test series, so enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible, grown-up way.”
Root has expressed high hopes for his current fast-bowling attack, noting that he sees significant potential in the group as he looks to build on the momentum of this series victory. The report also notes that and videos circulated of England players appearing drunk on nights out during the 4-1 Ashes series thrashing by, after white-ball captain Harry Brook was involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington. The report also notes that unable to bat in either innings at Lord’s because of a calf strain, among the players who have been axed are wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq.
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