Pakistan sack head coach and send seven players home after England Test series defeat

Sarfaraz Ahmed sacked after 194-run loss at Lord’s

White-ball coach Mike Hesson steps in

Pakistan have taken instant and dramatic action after back-to-back thrashings by England, ousting their head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and sending seven squad members home.

The tourists lost by an innings in the series opener at Headingley before going down by 194 runs at Lord’s as England took an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Amid debates over whether it is one of the country’s worst ever sides, the Pakistan Cricket Board has provided its own answer ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston – parachuting white-ball coach Mike Hesson in to replace Sarfaraz and radically changing the playing group.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has today announced that seven players have been released from the Test squad following completion of the Lord’s Test,” read a PCB statement.

“The players include Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad.”