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Snubbing not one or two, but seven cricketers, including stars like Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan, and Imam-ul-Haq, from the Test squad after two disastrous defeats against the England National Cricket Team put the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in front of a series of questions.
Multiple former cricketers and cricket experts across the globe questioned the board's stunning decision to axe seven cricketers and the head coach and the bowling coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, respectively, in the last couple of days.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif grilled Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board
Former Pakistan National Cricket Team captain Rashid Latif was the latest among the critics to raise his voice against the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB. Latif, through his 'X' post, raised doubts over the newly appointed Test team captain Babar Azam. Lati,f afraid to say that he would not be surprised if the PCB brings Babar Azam next under the axe.
The ongoing three-match Test series against England exposes the Pakistan cricket team completely. More than their bowling, the batting department of the Men in Green failed to do anything significant against the England cricket team seamers under the seaming conditions. Even Babar, who was retained as the captain weeks ahead of the series, failed brutally in the Test series in England.
Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie also were dissmissed unceremoniously by PCB
Babar Azam missed the opening match of the series in Leeds due to an injury. He injured his hand during a warm-up match and missed the first match of the contest. However, his return in the second match in London did nothing to support the Pakistan cricket team. With Babar in the line-up, they lost to England by 193 runs. The right-handed batter scored only 8 runs and 6 runs in the first and second innings of the match, respectively.
Soon after the London match, PCB, through an official press release, announced the inclusion of seven emerging cricketers in place of seven established talents from the side.
They also dismissed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul as well from the Test set-up. Removing the head coach unceremoniously is nothing new in Pakistan cricket. Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were also previously dismissed from their positions in the same manner.
Babar Azam should have been sacked: Rashid Latif slams PCB
Mentioning the sacking of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, Rashid Latif asked the Pakistan Cricket Board why they sent Sarfaraz and Gul if the team was supposed to be run by a remote control. The former captain also raised his doubts over the future of Babar Azam as well.
"If the team had to be run by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent? Why were the selection powers taken away from Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie? And if captain Babar Azam wasn’t listening, the captain should have been sacked — so why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back instead? Is Babar Azam the next target?" Rashid Latif raised the question through his social media post.
