Pakistan have made a sweeping reset ahead of the third Test against England, releasing Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad after the Lord’s defeat.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced seven replacements on August 31, including five players yet to make their Test debuts: left-arm quick Mohammad Imran Jnr, wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, pace-bowling all-rounders Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah, plus another new-look option in the expanded group.
Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal return as the two capped Test players among the replacements. Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas also joins the group; he has previously represented Pakistan in white-ball internationals but is awaiting a Test debut.
The changes extend beyond the playing squad. Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have been released from the touring party, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke set to take their places in the backroom staff.
Babar Azam remains captain of the revised squad for Birmingham. The group also includes Mohammad Abbas, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Sajid Khan, Azan Awais, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Ubaid Shah.
Pakistan have already conceded the three-Test series after England followed their Headingley win with a 194-run victory at Lord’s. The official selection move is therefore more consequential than a routine injury replacement: it places established names, including Rizwan and Imam, outside the immediate Test group while opening the door to a distinctly younger contingent.
The third Test is scheduled to begin on September 9 in Birmingham. The revised squad gives Pakistan one match to assess its new combinations before the England tour ends.
