Pakistan cricket team faces squad overhaul and batting collapse

The Pakistan national cricket team is facing significant internal and performance-based turmoil during their tour of England. Following a 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) implemented a sweeping squad overhaul. This included releasing seven players, such as Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, and dismissing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul.

Former England spinner Alex Hartley criticized the PCB’s management as “savage and shambolic,” noting the chaotic nature of the changes and reports that players’ phones were briefly confiscated by security.

On the field, the team’s struggles have continued at Edgbaston. In the final Test, Pakistan’s batting lineup collapsed, being bowled out for just 133 runs. Former England cricketer Michael Atherton described the lineup as “woefully low on confidence” and “dispirited.” The collapse saw the top five batters fall for single digits, marking a historic low for the team in the series, where they have failed to reach 200 runs in any innings.