Which Pakistan players were axed from squad? PCB opts for major reshuffle during series against England
Pakistan have opted for mid-series revamp in the ongoing Test series against England, where they suffered a 2-0 loss, by releasing seven members of their team before their third and last game.According to the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB), the major reshuffle comes in the wake of England's comprehensive 194-run win at Lord's, which secured the Test series victory for the home side.AdvertisementMAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABET AND GET UP TO 200% WELCOME BONUSAmong the seven members being released are seasoned players such as Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha.The PCB has also made some coaching personnel changes, including releasing Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, the head coach and bowling coach respectively. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will be taking charge of the team in the final Test.Add The Sporting News as a preferred news sourceWhich Pakistan players were released from the England Test squad?The seven players released by the PCB are:Mohammad RizwanImam-ul-HaqSalman Ali AghaAli UsmanAamir JamalMuhammad Awais ZafarKhurram ShahzadMORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinionAdvertisementRizwan's exclusion could be termed among the most notable exclusions, while Imam has been released after his absence from the Lord's Test match owing to a calf injury.Salman Ali Agha, who was stand-in captain in place of Babar Azam in the first Test match, has also been excluded from the next Test match.Apart from these three, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad complete the list.Who has replaced the seven Pakistan players?The seven replacements named by PCB are:Saim AyubAbdullah FazalArafat MinhasMohammad Imran JnrSaad BaigMohammad Imran (Imran Randhawa)RazaullahSaim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal add Test experience to the team with eight and two Test appearances each.AdvertisementThe other five players have yet to appear in Test cricket. One of these five players is the wicket-keeper batter, Saad Baig, who won the player of the tournament award in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 season.Why did Pakistan make such drastic changes?The rejig follows Pakistan's two big defeats in their first two Tests in the series.In the first Test played at Headingley, England recorded a win by an innings and 103 runs and in the second Test played at Lord's, they registered a 194-run victory over Pakistan. Pakistan's batting had been a serious worry as they could not score 200 in any of their four innings in the two Tests played.AdvertisementHence, the PCB has decided for a complete shake-up before the last Test, giving chances to some young players while dropping many players who had been selected for the tour.Pakistan's new-look squad for third England TestThe updated Pakistan squad for the third Test is:Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.When is England vs. Pakistan 3rd Test?The third and final Test between Pakistan and England runs from Wednesday, September 9 to Sunday, September 13 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.AdvertisementPlay is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. local time (BST) each day, which translates to 3:30 p.m. IST for viewers in India.England have already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving Pakistan playing for pride in the final Test.Where to watch England vs. Pakistan 3rd Test: Live stream, TV channelHere's how to watch the third Test between England and Pakistan in India:TV channel: Sony Sports NetworkLive streaming: SonyLIVSony holds the broadcast rights for the series in India, with coverage carried across the Sony Sports Ten channels. Viewers can live stream every session through the SonyLIV app and website.DafabetMAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABET AND GET UP TO 200% WELCOME BONUSAdvertisement
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