The decision comes as surprising since the hosts have already lost the series opener and will now be without their biggest stars for the decisive Pakistan vs England 2nd Test.
In a recent development coming in, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squads for the second and the third Pakistan vs England Tests.
However, the Pakistan management has decided to sideline three of their biggest stars for the remainded of the tournament. The decision comes as surprising since the hosts have already lost the series opener and will now be without their biggest stars for the decisive Pakistan vs England 2nd Test, slated to star on October 15.
Former skipper Babar Azam, along with star pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have been dropped for the second and the third Test. Wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed who did not feature in the playing XI in the first match have also been released from the squad.
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Pakistan’s historic loss in the first Test led to the recent decision
The shocking decision follows Pakistan’s heavy loss in the first Test, which also led to changes in the selection committee. The Men in Green became the first team in history to lose a Test match after scoring over 500 runs in the first innings.
In the aftermath of the loss, Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, and Azhar Ali have joined Asad Shafiq, Hasan Cheema, the coach, and the captain on the panel.
Notably, Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam (all uncapped), fast bowler Mohammad Ali, and off-spinner Sajid Khan have been brought into the squad, replacing the four above-mentioned players. Additionally, Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were part of the original squad for the first Test but later released, have now been included in the 16-player lineup.
Pakistan squad for 2nd and 3rd England Tests: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.
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