Pakistan recalls hurt Kingsmen

ISLAMABAD (AP):

Pakistan hit the panic button yesterday following heavy defeats in the first two Tests against England, replacing seven players and two coaches and leaving the Jamaica Kingsmen noticeably weakened.

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were summoned home by the Pakistan Cricket Board and replaced by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively, for the third and final Test in Birmingham, which starts on September 9.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, injured opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, first-time Test captain Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman and pacer Khurram Shahzad, all of whom played in Sunday’s second-Test defeat at Lord’s, were also recalled. All-rounder Aamir Jamal and batter Awais Zafar will return home as well without featuring in the series.

Imam’s torn calf attracted criticism in Pakistan’s media, particularly from former chief selector Mohammad Wasim. Imam sustained the low-grade injury while fielding on the opening day at Lord’s and took no further part in the match.

However, following Wasim’s comments, Imam appeared in the outfield before the start of play on Sunday. He was visibly limping while shadow-batting with his left calf heavily strapped.

Rizwan’s dismissal at Lord’s on Sunday, after an attempted slog against Ollie Robinson resulted in an lbw decision, was among the factors that led to his omission.

Pakistan’s dismal run in red-ball cricket continued during Ahmed’s brief tenure of approximately three months, with the team losing five of its six away matches, two in Bangladesh, one in the West Indies and two in England.

Babar Azam’s second stint as Test captain has also failed to reverse the team’s fortunes after Pakistan replaced Shan Masood in May. Babar oversaw a 1-1 drawn series against the West Indies, but England hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the current three-Test series. Pakistan have lost 10 of their last 11 away Tests.

A finger injury ruled Babar out of the first Test in Leeds, with Agha leading the side, but he was dropped for the second match.

Pakistan have yet to pass 200 runs in any of their four innings in the series, suffering an innings-and-103-run defeat in Leeds before losing by 194 runs at Lord’s.

The selectors have recalled opening batter Saim Ayub, who has played eight Tests, and Abdullah Fazal, who was withdrawn from the England tour after suffering an injury in the West Indies.

The five uncapped players travelling to England include spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas, fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jr, wicketkeeper Saad Baig, and fast-bowling all-rounders Mohammad Imran and Razaullah.

Ayub’s recall leaves the Kingsmen without their only centurion in this season’s Caribbean Premier League.

Ayub blasted 102 off 58 balls against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on August 27, striking eight sixes and six fours to help secure an 11-run victory.