PCB Overhauls Pakistan Test Squad After Lord's Defeat
The Pakistan Cricket Board has made sweeping changes to the national Test squad following the Lord’s match against England, releasing seven players and changing two members of the coaching staff before the third Test in Birmingham. The development emerged on Monday night as Pakistan moved quickly to reorganise the squad after losing the opening two matches of the three-Test series.
The players released from the squad are Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. The PCB confirmed the changes in an official squad update, bringing a significant reshuffle to the touring group ahead of the final Test against England.
Seven replacements have been named, including five players who have yet to make their Test debuts. Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal are the two replacements with previous Test experience, while left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who has represented Pakistan in limited-overs internationals, has also been included in the revised squad.
The remaining additions are left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr, wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Imran, also known as Imran Randhawa, and right-arm pace-bowling all-rounder Razaullah. Saad enters the squad after being named Player of the Tournament in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, giving Pakistan another wicketkeeping option for the Birmingham Test.
The PCB has also changed the backroom staff. Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and former fast bowler Umar Gul have been released from their roles with the Test squad, while Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will join the support staff. The board did not publicly detail individual reasons for every player and coaching change in the initial announcement.
The overhaul follows Pakistan’s 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, which gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Pakistan had also suffered a heavy defeat in the opening Test, increasing scrutiny of the team’s performances and prompting questions over selection, batting consistency and the direction of the Test setup. The latest changes therefore represent one of the most substantial squad adjustments during the tour.
For Pakistan, the immediate focus will be on integrating the newly selected players before the third Test in Birmingham. The replacements are expected to join the touring squad ahead of the match, where the team will attempt to avoid a series clean sweep and assess fresh options for future Test assignments. The inclusion of several relatively inexperienced players also gives selectors an opportunity to evaluate emerging talent under demanding overseas conditions.