‘He’ll have to face an inquiry’: Aaqib Javed defends Pakistan’s mid-series purge

Pakistan's tour of England descended into chaos, with two Tests lost, a significant defeat at Headingley and a 194-run loss at Lord's leading to the sacking of seven players and two coaches. The news of their removal was revealed to the players indirectly through social media, without any communication from the team management. Among those axed was Mohammad Rizwan, who the Pakistani Board of Control for Cricket (PCB) deemed as an increasingly disruptive presence and whose shot selection was reportedly frustrating senior figures.

Imam-ul-Haq was also removed due to his calf injury, which prevented him from batting in the Lord's Test, leading to demands for a detailed account of his medical evaluation. The PCB's director of high performance, Aaqib Javed, defended the decision, stating that the team's performance problems necessitated a change in the combination of players.

He claimed that the original squad selection was responsible and criticized the team management for their inability to utilize the players properly. Javed also defended the decision to appoint Mike Hesson as the Test side's coach, emphasizing that one person does not run a team.