Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq sent back to Pakistan from England, Mike Hesson replaces Sarfaraz as PCB puts hammer down

The PCB took a few hard calls as the board decided to send Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha and Imam-ul-Haq back to Pakistan from England.

Updated on: Aug 31, 2026, 21:58:17 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday evening made a significant overhaul to its Test squad ahead of the third and final match against England, releasing seven players following the conclusion of the Lord’s Test. Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have been released from the squad following the 194-run defeat in the second Test.

Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq sent back to Pakistan from England (AP)

Rizwan has had a tour to forget, scoring just 61 runs in four innings, while Imam faced a calf strain in the Lord's Test and didn't bat in either of the innings. However, much has been said about him, and there are also allegations of the left-hander possibly faking an injury. Agha, who led Pakistan in the first Test in the absence of Babar, was dropped for the Lord's fixture.

The PCB has simultaneously brought in seven replacements, including five players yet to make their Test debuts and two cricketers with experience in the longest format. Saim Ayub is the most prominent name among the additions.

Also Read: ‘Did he come out and bat after all this?’: David Warner doesn’t appear to be impressed either with Imam-ul-Haq

The left-handed batter has already played eight Tests for Pakistan and returns to the squad as the team prepares for the final game of the series. Abdullah Fazal, who has two Test appearances to his name, has also been added to the group.

The PCB has also included Arafat Minhas, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder who has represented Pakistan in three ODIs and four T20Is. His inclusion gives the team another option with both bat and ball as Pakistan assess their combination for the third Test.

Four uncapped players have also earned call-ups. Left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr is part of the revised squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig has been rewarded for an impressive domestic campaign. Baig was named Player of the Tournament in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

The other two additions are right-arm pace-bowling all-rounders Muhammad Imran and Razaullah. The changes extend beyond the playing group, with Pakistan also making alterations to their support staff.

Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach of Tests) and Umar Gul (bowling coach) have been released, while Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will join the backroom team.

Pakistan's dismal show

The visitors have already gone down 0-2 in the three-match series, and they can only play for pride in the third and final Test in Birmingham, beginning September 9. The first Test ended in three days while the second went to four only because rain played spoilsport on Day 3 at Lord's.

Pakistan are yet to breach the 200-run mark even once in the entire series. Babar Azam was made to look like a novice in the second innings of the Lord's Test where he was bounced out by Jofra Archer.

Updated Pakistan squad for the third and final Test: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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