Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam presented King Charles III with a traditional cricket bat signed by the entire Pakistan team during a formal gathering at Clarence House in London. The British monarch hosted the visiting players and team officials, including PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, during their England tour.
The royal engagement came at a difficult stage of Pakistan’s campaign in England. Pakistan are trailing 2-0 in the three-match Test series after defeats at Headingley and Lord’s. The back-to-back losses have increased pressure on the team, while the PCB has made major changes to the squad and management.
Babar Azam Hands Signed Bat to King Charles III
Babar Azam met King Charles III alongside PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and members of the squad at Clarence House in London on September 2. Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas, Abdullah Shafique, Azan Awais, Sajid Khan, and Mohammad Ali were also present.
White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed also attended the meeting. The Royal Family official X account shared a picture from the gathering and wrote: “This afternoon, The King welcomed the Pakistan National Cricket Team to Clarence House.”
Babar presented King Charles with a cricket bat signed by the entire Pakistan team during the meeting. The British High Commissioner also attended the event. Naqvi stated that the King spoke with the players and encouraged them during their difficult series.
🏏 This afternoon, The King welcomed the Pakistan National Cricket Team to Clarence House. pic.twitter.com/ihy70scAhX
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 2, 2026
King Charles was gifted a signed bat by Pakistan's national cricket team, during their visit to Clarence House in London today. pic.twitter.com/8CCUGiLx4S
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) September 2, 2026
Naqvi later described his interaction with the monarch as “very productive”. The PCB chairman has since left the UK and returned to Pakistan amid the pressure surrounding their ongoing Test series against England.
Babar Azam’s Struggles Continue on England Tour
Babar Azam’s return to Test captaincy has not gone as planned. He missed the first Test at Headingley because of a finger injury before returning for the second Test at Lord’s. However, he scored only 8 and 6 in the two innings as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 and 194.
He has played 18 consecutive Test innings without a half-century. Babar’s batting average since the start of 2023 has also dropped below 21 across nine Tests, raising further questions over his batting and leadership.
During the second Test at Lord’s, Sky Sports aired an interview with Kasim and Sulaiman Khan, the sons of former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, during the lunch break. The interview prompted a formal complaint from the PCB.
Reports suggested that the PCB considered asking the Pakistan team not to return to the field after the interview. However, the players resumed the match, while Babar later said he was unaware of any discussion about refusing to take the field.
Pakistan Make Major Changes Ahead of Final Test
Following two heavy defeats, Pakistan have made major changes ahead of the third and final Test. England won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs before securing a 194-run victory at Lord’s. Pakistan have also failed to score 200 in an innings in either Test.
Following the Lord’s defeat, the PCB recalled seven players from the UK, including Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha and injured opener Imam-ul-Haq. The board also removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul from their roles.
Mike Hesson has taken charge of the Test team for the final match, while Ashley Noffke has replaced Umar Gul as bowling coach. Several new players have also joined the squad before the third Test, which is set to begin on September 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
