Pakistan’s recently dropped players were asked to attend a formal meeting with King Charles III at Clarence House to avoid a low turnout at the royal engagement. Four released players attended the meeting, while a fifth unnamed player refused to take part in protest against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Pakistan have lost both Tests against England and are trailing 2-0 in the three-match series. After the 194-run defeat at Lord’s, the PCB also made major changes to the squad and coaching setup, dropping seven players and removing the senior coaching staff before the third and final Test match in Birmingham.
Axed Pakistan Players Asked to Meet King Charles III
According to a report by The Telegraph, the PCB was concerned that the meeting with King Charles III could have a low turnout because several players had already been sent home and their replacements had not yet arrived.
Four released players, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, and Muhammad Awais Zafar, attended the event. The players had preferred not to attend amid the ongoing changes in the Pakistan setup. However, a fifth unnamed player refused to attend in protest against his treatment by the board.
King Charles III spoke with the Pakistan players and officials during the meeting and offered encouragement amid their difficult tour. Pakistan captain Babar Azam presented the King with a signed bat, while PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also gave him a gift.
Naqvi later described the meeting as positive and cordial. Such meetings are common when touring cricket teams visit England, with teams often invited to meet a member of the Royal Family or the Prime Minister.
PCB Makes Major Changes After Lord’s Defeat
The PCB sent seven players home after Pakistan’s 194-run defeat against England at Lord’s. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also released from their roles.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad were the seven players sent back. Awais Zafar and Aamer Jamal had not played in the first two Tests, while Usman had taken a five-wicket haul in the first Test at Headingley.
Rizwan scored only 61 runs across four innings on the tour. Imam, meanwhile, suffered a calf strain during the Lord’s Test and did not bat in either innings. He has also faced allegations that he faked the injury, although those claims remain allegations.
Pakistan Aim to Avoid 3-0 Series Defeat
England won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs before securing a 194-run victory at Lord’s. The first Test finished inside three days, while the second went into a fourth day after rain disrupted play on Day 3.
Pakistan have also struggled badly with the bat and are yet to score 200 runs in a completed innings in the series. Babar Azam endured another difficult outing at Lord’s as Pakistan's batting problems continued.
Pakistan will play the third and final Test in Birmingham from September 9, with the visitors aiming to avoid a 3-0 series defeat.
The tour has also been surrounded by an off-field controversy. Pakistan had threatened not to return to the field after lunch on the first day at Lord’s if Sky Sports aired an interview with the sons of former PM Imran Khan. The interview was eventually broadcast, and Pakistan returned to the field after lunch.
