Babar Azam's Admission Makes Pakistan Cricket Row Over 7 Mid-Series Sacking Murkier

By Suresh

**Babar's Admission Deepens the Pakistan Sacking Storm** Fellow enthusiasts, the rhythm of this story has grown discordant, and I'd like to share the core of it with you. The PCB's decision to send home seven players and two coaches before the England series has reverberated across the cricketing world. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have been recalled, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke stepping in for the third and final Test in Birmingham, commencing tmr (Sept 9). The players sent home include WK Mohammad Rizwan, injured opener ImamulHaq, first-Test captain Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman, and pacer Khurram Shahzad—those who faced the defeat at Lord's on Sunday. AR Aamir Jamal and batter Awais Zafar were recalled without seeing game time. Here is where the melody falters: captain Babar Azam admits he was kept in the dark. "I was not consulted. It was news to me as well," he said, deflecting to the PCB. If true, this was a unilateral move—a panic button pressed after heavy first two Test defeats. The numbers tell a somber tale. Babar's second stint as Test captain hasn't revived Pakistan's fortunes since Shan Masood's sacking in May. England now lead 2-0, and Pakistan have lost 10 of their last 11 away Tests. They've yet to cross 200 in four innings this series. Fresh faces arrive to rewrite this narrative: recalled opener Saim Ayub and injured-from-West-Indies Abdullah Fazal, joined by five uncapped players including AR Arafat Minhas, fast bwl Mohammad Imran Jr, WK Saad Baig, and fast-bowl AR Mohammad Imran and Razaullah. A difficult chapter for a great cricketing nation. What say you? Source: NDTV Sports