Pakistan have launched a disciplinary inquiry into the extraordinary events that led to coach Sarfaraz Ahmed being sacked and seven players sent home after two defeats by England.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chose the build-up to the third and final Test on Wednesday at Edgbaston, when Pakistan will be attempting to avoid a clean sweep, to announce they would be looking into players’ behaviour on the tour following media reports concerning discipline and conduct.“The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally,” said the PCB in a statement on Monday.“The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration. At this stage, any speculative reports or unverified claims circulating on certain platforms, particularly those originating from hostile external sources, should not be regarded as credible.”Pakistan bowler Mohammad Abbas in practice at Edgbaston (Philip Brown/Getty Images)Even by the volatile history of Pakistani cricket, what has happened since the second Test defeat at Lord’s eight days ago, when England clinched the series, has been incredible.First three players — opener Imam-ul-Haq, who failed to bat in either innings at Lord’s after suffering a calf injury, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and first Test stand-in captain Salman Agha — were banished from the squad. Coach Sarfaraz and his assistant Umar Gul were sent packing with them.Selector and former captain Misbah-ul-Haq also tendered his resignation.Then, when Pakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson and his assistant Ashley Noffke asked to step in, four more players they felt would not be in contention for Edgbaston were sent home too, including spinner Ali Usman despite his five-wicket haul in the first Test.Seven players with limited experience were called up in their places, only two of whom had played for Pakistan before in Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal. Aaqib Javed, the PCB’s director of high performance, then launched a stinging attack on the injured Imam.“The Imam injury is a big question mark and a deep disappointment,” the former fast bowler Aaqib told Pakistan broadcast network Geo. “Players in the past used to get injuries but they used to put on casts and still tried to play.“We’ll take action against this. How is it possible that a pulled muscle ruled you out of batting in both innings. He should have tried and fought. He’ll have to face an inquiry. I can’t say he faked it but a muscle pull like that cannot stop you from batting altogether.”None of the seven players released from the tour has since spoken publicly.Imam-ul-Haq was one of the seven players released mid-series by Pakistan (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)It was left to new Test assistant coach Noffke, the former Australia fast bowler, to try to make sense of the chaos when he spoke to reporters at Edgbaston on Monday.“It’s unusual, isn’t it?” said Noffke of Pakistan’s crisis. “It doesn’t happen very often and I guess from mine and Mike’s (Hesson’s) perspective all we can do is come in and add positivity. We want to listen to the players.“There’s a feeling of uncertainty but they’ve just got back on the job and I’ve been impressed at the level of calmness over the last couple of days. We’ve given them chances to talk whether that’s in one-on-one scenarios with the head coach or me.“Then they can get things off their chest and move forward. It’s about being in the present now and, like anything, the uncertainty can make you take a step back and be unsure. So we’ve been really encouraging these guys to show their skills, whatever they may be. You need to encourage people to back their strengths.”Pakistan’s squad met King Charles III at Clarence House last week (Stefan Rousseau / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)Noffke denied knowing anything about what led to the PCB taking such drastic action but will now join with the former New Zealand coach Hesson in trying to stop people “laughing at us”, as Aaqib put it.“I just got a message at 3am one morning last week saying management were sending me over to England,” said Noffke. “That’s all I know. It’s not my job to be in consultation with who they see as in and who’s out. That’s the job of the selection panel.“It’s unsettling but it’s about getting on with it and focusing on what’s ahead of us.“You install pride with really good cricket. All the players can do is focus on putting in really good performances and how we are perceived will be decided by the level of those performances and how we develop. There’s no question our Test game needs to improve but that doesn’t mean we should be daunted about that.“What I’ve discovered working with Pakistan — and it’s been 15 months now — is that there’s always something going on in the background, either in or out of our control, and most of the time it’s out of the players control.“So they need to focus on the cricket they have in front of them now because the young cricketers we have here are highly skilled. They don’t need to know the dealings of the PCB in that context.”