Pakistan overhaul their squad and coaching staff after two heavy defeats, bringing in experienced names and four uncapped players.
Pakistan have announced a major overhaul of their squad ahead of the third Test against England, releasing seven players as the team looks to recover from a disappointing start to the series.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have all been released from the squad. The sweeping changes come after Pakistan suffered back-to-back defeats in the opening two Tests.
Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal and Arafat Minhas are among the players brought into the Pakistan third Test squad. All three have previously represented Pakistan at international level and are expected to provide additional experience and options.
The selectors have also included four uncapped players as Pakistan seek greater depth. Wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig has been added as another option behind the stumps, while left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr strengthens the pace department.
Right-arm pace-bowling all-rounders Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah have also been included, giving Pakistan greater flexibility in team combination and bowling resources.
The coaching setup has undergone significant changes as well. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have left their respective positions, with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke taking responsibility for the third Test.
The revised Pakistan squad features Babar Azam as captain alongside Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
Pakistan’s tour of England has so far been extremely challenging. They were beaten by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Leeds before losing the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs.
Although the bowling unit has shown some positive signs, Pakistan’s batting has been their biggest weakness. The team has failed to score 200 runs in any of its four innings across the opening two Tests.
The poor results have also pushed Pakistan to the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship standings, where they have a points percentage of just 16.67% after eight matches.
The third Test therefore presents Pakistan with an important opportunity to rebuild confidence and end their difficult run in England.