Overview
- The PCB announced on Monday that seven players, including Mohammad Rizwan and Imam‑ul‑Haq, were returned to Pakistan and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were removed after back‑to‑back Test defeats in England.
- The board has given the national selection committee 24 hours to provide written explanations for the selections of Rizwan and Imam, and one selector, Misbah‑ul‑Haqq, has offered his resignation from the panel.
- Aaqib Javed, a senior selector, publicly questioned the seriousness of Imam’s calf injury, said an inquiry will be held into the medical handling, and warned action could follow depending on findings.
- White‑ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have been moved into the Test setup and Pakistan called up Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal and five largely uncapped players to join the squad for the third Test at Edgbaston on Sept. 9.
- Players and former internationals have sharply criticised both individual conduct and the PCB’s handling of the tour after reports that several players learned of their axing via family messages or social posts, exposing deeper governance and communication problems that could affect selection, medical protocols and team morale going forward.