Kamran Akmal criticizes PCB for sending seven players home during England series
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 1, 2026, 8:14 AM
Last updated Sep 1, 2026
Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has expressed disapproval over the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to send seven players home midway through the ongoing Test series against England. Among those released are Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq. The board also replaced Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul with white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke. Akmal argued that dropping these players from the playing XI would have been preferable to removing them from the squad entirely, noting that the move may damage team morale and increase pressure on remaining personnel. The decision follows Pakistan's poor performance in the first two Tests against England. The board's structural changes come ahead of the final Test match scheduled in Birmingham.
- •Seven players including Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha were released from the Test squad.
- •Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul were removed from their respective coaching roles.
- •Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will take over coaching duties for the third Test in Birmingham.
- •Kamran Akmal stated that sending players home sets a poor precedent for team morale.
- •Imam-ul-Haq was released following a calf injury sustained during the second Test.
- 8:14 AMYahoo Sports — ‘Not a good decision’: Ex-Pakistan cricketer fumes at PCB, sends message to Mohsin Naqvi
"Kamran Akmal expressed strong disapproval of the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to release seven players from the squad during the England Test series. He argued that this move could harm the morale of the remaining team members. Akmal questioned why senior players were sent home rather than simply being benched, stating that this choice diminishes the team's reputation and increases pressure on the players who remain.
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