The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is under fire after it sent home seven players from the ongoing tour of England, and also sacked two coaches.
After PCB made wholesale changes, chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq, who was not consulted, has resigned. However, the board is yet to accept his resignation, reports said on Tuesday (September 1).
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha (captain in 1st Test), Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad have been released ahead of the third and final Test against England. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed.
Also read: India-Sri Lanka Test series: Why India should celebrate Dinusha’s defiance
The Test team will now be coached by Pakistan’s white-ball side’s coaches – Mike Hesson (head coach) and Ashley Noffke (bowling coach).
The seven replacements are Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Saad Baig, Muhammad Randhawa, Razaullah and Muhammad Imran Jnr. Of the seven, five have played international cricket, while two — Muhammad Randhawa and Razaullah — are yet to represent Pakistan at any level. They will join the squad before the third Test starts on September 9 in Birmingham.
‘Absolutely ridiculous decision’
Pakistan suffered heavy losses in the opening two Tests. The visitors lost the series opener by an innings and 103 runs, while the second Test ended in a heavy 194-run defeat.
Pakistan’s former foreign head coach Mickey Arthur described the decision as ridiculous.
“Absolutely ridiculous decision by the PCB. This is the reason they are in the mess they are because they constantly chop and change players, coaches and selectors and there is no stability! Planning, stability and structure lead to consistent performance,” Arthur wrote on social media.
Former Pakistan captain and batting great, Javed Miandad said he was shocked by the decision and felt sorry for the players sent back home and even those sent to England.
“The players sent back it is now a mental scar for them and a blot on their career while the players who are replacements will be under so much mental pressure in the one test remaining in the series,” Miandad said on Tuesday.
Pietersen mocks Pakistan
He said he had witnessed some turbulent times in his career in Pakistan cricket including players’ revolts, fixing allegations and bad defeats but never had any board reacted in such a manner.
Ex-England captain Kevin Pietersen made fun of the decision. “When a captain is interviewed before every game, the interviewer asks about changes in their team. Could be a v v v v long interview for my buddy, Babar! Maybe the toss should start the night before?? (sic),” Pietersen wrote on social media.
Former captain Rashid Latif said Babar should have resigned as skipper when the Board decided to take such a decision.
“There is a difference between a captain and a leader and Babar has just stood by and left his players stranded,” Latif said.
Moin wanted PCB to take decision after series
Former captain Moin Khan said even if the board wanted to make radical changes in the team to stop the flow of defeats it should have waited until the end of the series in England.
He felt that the urgency with which the Board took the drastic decision to send back players and sack Sarfaraz and Umar indicates there was more to it than what meets the eye.
Moin wondered what magic wand Hesson had that he had been given charge of the Test squad with just one game remaining.
“I can only hope that Pakistan with some new players plays differently in the final Test but it is hard to see that with so much happening the players would not be disturbed,” Khan said.
Afridi questions inclusion of T20 players in Test squad
Former captains Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik have also been critical about the PCB’s decision and working.
Malik questioned the timing of the accountability process, arguing that responsibility should first be placed on those who contributed to the system’s problems rather than players who have had limited opportunities.
“The players dropped from the squad are still our national cricketers who have served Pakistan. Phrases like “sent on the first flight back” are disrespectful,” Malik wrote on social media.
Afridi said Sarfaraz Ahmed did not deserve such a harsh decision.
“Not sure what is the logic or reasoning behind this decision! Even the replacements make no sense – T20 players have been included for a Test match in England? What is this thinking and approach? Why has the coach been axed after 5 Test matches? This is the most shocking decision… (sic),” Afridi wrote on social media.
Pakistan Test squad for Birmingham game: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper) Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Ubaid Shah.