The Pakistan Cricket Board has faced widespread condemnation from former players after sacking head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and seven squad members midway through the ongoing Test series against England.
White-ball coach Mike Hesson takes charge for the third Test at Edgbaston starting on 9 September. Pakistan trail 2-0 following an innings defeat at Headingley and a 194-run loss at Lord’s, where the hosts secured a decisive victory.
Fears Over Impulsive Decisions
Former national spinner Mushtaq warned that the unprecedented overhaul damages player trust. Speaking on the BBC Stumped podcast, the 56-year-old indicated he would accept the coaching role but fears the board’s structural instability.
“I would love to do that for my country, of course. Especially at this time. Obviously, I need only one thing. Sometimes you get scared of working for your own country when the people don’t respect you and they sack you because of a few emotional decisions here and there… When you see those things, people getting sacked on a tour, you get worried and scared,”
Sarfaraz, who faced squad walkout threats earlier this summer, departs alongside bowling coach Umar Gul. The board has summoned seven replacements to Birmingham, including several uncapped players.
Former coach Mickey Arthur criticised the constant structural turnover, while Shahid Afridi questioned the inclusion of white-ball players for a red-ball fixture. Shoaib Malik labelled the treatment of the dismissed squad members as disrespectful, arguing accountability belongs after a tour concludes.
