Pakistan cricket faces fresh turmoil after its three senior players: keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, opener Imam-ul-Haq and middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha, were reported for behavioural issues within the dressing room.
These three players, alongside four others and two coaches, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, were all sent home after Pakistan lost the second Test at Lord’s and conceded the three-match series 2-0, with one game to play. While their lean form remained the prime factor in their exit midway through the tour, behavioural issues made things worse for the trio.
Salman Agha captained Pakistan in the series opener at Headingley in Babar Azam’s absence, out with a finger injury. The visitors lost the first Test by an innings and 103 runs. Despite Babar returning for the Lord’s Test, the results did not change for Pakistan as they lost the second Test by 194 runs, having failed to cross 200 across two innings. Salman — the stand-in captain in Leeds — was dropped from the playing XI for the second Test and sent home ahead of the third at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting Sep 9.
Rizwan, on the other hand, failed to impress with the bat, scoring 7, 1, 12 and 41 in four outings. Although he was outstanding with the gloves, keeping close to seamer Mohammad Abbas, his lack of match awareness and dismissal manners, compounded by dressing room behaviours, led to his exile.
Amid surrounding reports and allegations regarding his past injury disclosures, Imam-ul-Haq, who suffered a left strain, was ruled out of the second Test. Although he suffered that injury during the Leeds Test, Imam did not bat in either innings in the second match, with Pakistan getting all out for 110 and 194 at Lord’s.
A PTI report also claims that the trio are now expected to appear before a committee and explain their conduct in connection with certain incidents during the away tours of the West Indies and England. On the other hand, the remaining players were sent home following Mike Hesson’s recommendations, who took charge of the third Test following Sarfaraz’s release.
“The rest of the players sent back were done so on the recommendation of interim red-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who wanted to try out some players he had worked with in the white-ball camp,” a source said, as quoted by PTI.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is languishing at the bottom of the WTC standings with six losses and two wins in eight contested matches in the 2025-27 cycle.