Pakistan Cricket Board has released seven players from the Test squad and drafted in five uncapped names ahead of the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston. The shake-up follows a 194-run defeat at Headingley, which handed England a 2-0 series win and sealed a dead rubber finish for Pakistan.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have also lost their positions as head coach and bowling coach of the Test side. Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who currently run the white-ball setup, will now take charge of the Test team for the Birmingham fixture starting September 9.
Seven Players Released From Pakistan Squad
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad have been sent home. Rizwan’s exit comes despite his strong glovework on the tour, though his batting has dropped off sharply. He managed just 7 and 1 at Lord’s, followed by 12 and 41 at Headingley, and scored only 41 runs across three innings during the West Indies leg of the tour.
Imam’s removal follows a grade-1 calf tear sustained on the opening day at Lord’s. He stayed off the field for both Pakistan innings and later appeared on the outfield for gentle throwdowns with his leg strapped. It was a decision that drew sharp criticism from pundits who called it a move made purely for appearances.
Usman’s departure stands out the most. He picked up his maiden Test five-for in the second innings at Headingley and became the first visiting spinner to do so at that ground since 1972, yet he still finds himself axed from the squad.
Saim Ayub and Five Uncapped Players Called Up
Saim Ayub returns to the Test fold for the first time since January 2025, when an ankle fracture ended his last appearance in the format. He has played only two first-class matches since then but is currently in form with the Jamaica Kingsmen in the CPL, where he scored a century against the Patriots last week.
Five uncapped players join him: Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah. Minhas is the only one among them with international experience. He made his ODI debut against Australia in May and won the player-of-the-match award on a spin-friendly surface.
Baig finished as the top run-scorer in the last Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and becomes the squad’s second wicketkeeper alongside Ghazi Ghori. Among the pace bowlers, Randhawa carries the most first-class experience with 58 appearances, while Razaullah and Imran Jnr have played eight matches each.
Coaching Overhaul Follows Pattern of Instability
Sarfaraz had held the head coach role for only three series since his April appointment, a period that began with the away series against Bangladesh. Pakistan had also swapped out Asad Shafiq for Mike Smith as batting coach earlier this year, and added to a string of changes across the coaching staff.
The Lord’s defeat marked Pakistan’s 15th loss in their last 20 Tests. The team currently sits at the bottom of the World Test Championship table, which matched their finish in the previous cycle.
Pakistan Test squad for Birmingham
Babar Azam (capt), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Ubaid Shah.
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