ENG vs PAK, 3rd Test: Pakistan’s selectors and management have reportedly rung mass changes, wielding the axe on three players after the shambolic defeat in the second Test against England at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq have reportedly been sent home, with the trio not set to travel to Birmingham ahead of the third Test against England, beginning on September 9.
ENG vs PAK, 3rd Test: Imam-ul-Haq to face harsh consequences?
While the performance, especially of the entire batting unit is firmly in focus, Imam’s calf injury has brought a previous inquiry back into focus regarding his fitness during the team’s 2025 tour of New Zealand. According to sources, quoted by Geo News, the PCB is likely to investigate the circumstances surrounding the latest calf injury that prevented him from batting in both innings of the Lord’s Test. With a report claiming that Imam had faked the injury during the tour of New Zealand in March 2025, the 30-year-old could face some consequences. He had played in the opening Test, scoring 42 and 0 as Pakistan lost by an innings inside three days.
Rizwan, who kept wickets in the first two Tests, had scores of 12, 41, 7 and 1. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha has faced a drastic turnaround of his role. With Babar Azam injured for the series-opener at the Headingley in Leeds, Salman had captained Pakistan. He was dropped for the second Test and has now reportedly been sent home.
Babar Azam to be removed as Pakistan’s Test captain?
An earlier report had claimed that the PCB is considering a change in Test captaincy too. But the board is highly likely to go down that road, with Babar Azam’s second tenure as Test captain beginning only during the tour of the West Indies. Hence, the Lahore-born cricketer is likely to get a long rope even if England blank Pakistan 3-0.
The right-handed batter missed the first Test at the Headingley in Leeds and returned for the second at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. But the visiting captain’s performance was poor, managing only 8 and 6 as the entire side struggled to combat England’s pace quartet of Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson. Pakistan will need to find answers urgently to evade a series loss and end the tour on a high.
