{
  "id": 5624053,
  "title": "Pakistan coach Mike Hesson breaks silence on mid-England series shake-up, says 'I really don’t know what happened'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/pakistan-coach-mike-hesson-breaks-silence-on-mid-england-series-shake",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-04T19:07:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/pakistan-coach-mike-hesson-breaks-190700963.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Interim red-ball coach Mike Hesson has spoken out about the decision to release seven players from Pakistan's Test squad ahead of the crucial third and final Test against England. Hesson claims he was unaware of the decision, as three senior players - Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq - had already left the squad before he took charge. The PCB made these changes following Pakistan's heavy defeats in the first two Tests against England, which resulted in the series being firmly in England's grasp with a 2-0 lead. Hesson was subsequently appointed to manage the Test side for the Edgbaston match, which begins on September 9. When discussing the release of Rizwan, Agha, and Imam, Hesson emphasized that he was not involved in the decision, stating that the trio had already departed when he was approached to lead the team. However, he did play a part in the broader reshaping of the squad, releasing other players and bringing in new ones. Hesson, who recently returned from Japan after managing Pakistan's white-ball setup, expressed his intention to create a more balanced squad for the final Test. He focused on developing a bowling attack with variety and included a couple of all-rounders, such as Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, and untitled players Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran, and Razaullah.",
  "summary": "Mike Hesson, the interim coach for Pakistan, has refuted any claims of his involvement in the decision to send home senior players. He clarified that Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq had already departed. Hesson is now focused on fine-tuning the squad for the final Test, emphasizing a well-rounded bowling lineup with greater diversity, while integrating new talent to enhance team…",
  "key_points": [
    "Interim coach Mike Hesson unaware of player releases",
    "PCB removed seven players from Test squad before final match",
    "Hesson focused on balanced squad with varied bowling attack"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Pak coach Hesson breaks silence on shake-up, says 'I don't know what happened'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/pak-coach-hesson-breaks-silence-on-shake-up-says-i-dont-know-what",
        "published": "2026-09-04T13:37:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}