The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to sack the national team’s head coach and send seven players back home following the defeat against England at Lord’s last week came as a surprise to captain Babar Azam, he revealed on Tuesday.
The 194-run drubbing — which sealed the three-match series for the hosts — was followed by Sarfraz Ahmed’s removal as Pakistan’s head coach and Umar Gul’s dismissal as bowling coach. They were replaced by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively.
Seven players, including seasoned campaigners Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, were axed from the squad midway through the series, while five of the replacements flown to the UK were uncapped players.
The wholesale changes, as it emerged later, were planned outside the Pakistan dressing room by the national selection panel. As was the case with most members of the team’s contingent, the developments came as a surprise to Babar as well.
“It was news to me as well,” Babar said during the pre-match press conference ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston. “I only found out about these things later.”
