Lahore: Former Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq has tendered his resignation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) national team selection committee, handing in his notice following unilateral squad changes made during the ongoing test series against England. Sources close to the matter confirmed that Misbah communicated his decision to the board via email after learning that key squad alterations were finalised without consulting the selection panel.
The former captain, who joined the committee in March, will serve a standard notice period before formally stepping away from his official duties. The resignation follows a dramatic overhaul of Pakistan’s test match setup in the wake of consecutive heavy defeats in the first two tests against England.
On Monday, the PCB released seven players, including senior batter Mohammad Rizwan, Imamul Haq, and Salman Ali Agha and ordered their immediate return to Pakistan. Six replacement players, including Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, were dispatched to England without the prior endorsement or input of the selection committee, triggering sharp dissatisfaction among panel members over procedural governance.
Alongside player rotations, the PCB implemented immediate structural shifts within the management staff ahead of the third and final test at Edgbaston, scheduled to begin on 9 September. Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and fast bowling coach Umar Gul were relieved of their duties, with one day and T-20 head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke tasked to oversee the test side for the remainder of the tour.
The sweeping decisions have drawn criticism from international cricket analysts and former national players, who have raised concerns regarding organisational stability and team continuity midway through an international series.
