Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decision to release seven players and two coaches from the squad ahead of the third Edgbaston Test against England, saying that the move reflects the familiar cycle of “internal chaos, differences of opinion and controversies” that have haunted the country’s cricket and the focus should be “on the field, not the boardroom”. Pakistan made major changes to their Test set-up ahead of the third and final Test against England from September 9, replacing almost half of their squad and releasing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul following heavy defeats in the first two Tests against Three Lions, according to Cricinfo.
The changes come after Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat in the second Test, allowing England to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. In the first Test, Pakistan had lost by an innings margin.
PCB had released seven players from the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad after the loss at Lord’s. In their place, Pakistan have brought in five uncapped players along with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have a combined experience of just 10 matches. The five uncapped players added to the squad are Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah. Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who are part of Pakistan’s white-ball coaching set-up as head coach and bowling coach, respectively.
Posting on X, Yousuf said that the decision “does not appear to be only performance-related” and spoke of how Pakistan cricket has faced such “turbulence” time and again in the aftermath of their landmark 1992 World Cup win, which “eroded stability and distracted from the game itself”. He called for strong performances and consistent positive results to “silence the news”, saying that “success remains the most effective antidote”.
“The recent decision by the authorities to recall players and coaching staff from the ongoing tour does not appear to be only performance related. After all, we are not sending legends like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, or Saeed Anwar as replacements. Instead, this move reflects the familiar cycle of internal chaos, differences of opinion, and controversies that have long haunted Pakistan cricket. Since the glory of the 1992 World Cup, such turbulence has resurfaced time and again, eroding stability and distracting from the game itself,” he said.
“We have endured such turmoil in different forms many times before, each episode leaving scars on the team’s progress and the fans’ faith. The lesson is clear! only strong performances and consistent positive results can silence the noise. Pakistan cricket must focus on the field, not the boardroom, if it is to restore credibility and inspire confidence among fans. Success remains the most effective antidote,” he added.
Earlier, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq offered his resignation from the Pakistan men’s national selection committee following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to make major changes to the Test squad and coaching staff during the ongoing tour of England, according to Cricinfo.
According to the report, the PCB is yet to accept Misbah’s resignation. He has also decided to step down from his role as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
Misbah, who retired as Pakistan’s most successful Test captain in 2017, has held several positions within the PCB over the years. He was appointed head coach and chief selector in 2019. before stepping down as chief selector in October 2020 to focus on his coaching responsibilities. He later resigned as head coach in 2021.In 2023, Misbah returned to the PCB as an advisor under then ad hoc management committee chief Zaka Ashraf. He was subsequently appointed as one of five mentors for the men’s Champions Cup in 2024 and also worked with women’s domestic teams.
Last month, he coached the Pakistan Gold side to victory in the 50-over National Champions Cup in Multan under captain Shaheen Afridi.
Misbah was appointed to the four-member national selector committee in March this year alongside Aaqib Javed, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq. He was also working with the PCB under a contract that required him to serve as a batting consultant for 180 days a year.PCB sought explanations from selectors over the inclusion of Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq.
According to Cricinfo, the notice was issued on Monday, the same day the board announced its decision to send home seven players and two coaches ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.
The selection committee was asked to submit a written explanation within 24 hours, detailing the reasons behind Rizwan and Imam’s selections and the process followed in making the decisions.
From the start of 2024 until the West Indies tour, Rizwan was Pakistan’s leading Test run-scorer and also boasted the team’s highest batting average. Imam, meanwhile, had featured in only two Tests during that period but had been among the leading run-scorers in domestic cricket.
The defeat at Lord’s was Pakistan’s 15th in the last 20 Tests. They currently sit at the bottom of the 1CC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings. The third Test will begin at Edgbaston on September 9, with Pakistan aiming to end the series on a positive note and avoid a 3-0 clean sweep.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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