{
  "id": 6318906,
  "title": "It was news to me too: Babar Azam on Pakistan’s squad overhaul",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/it-was-news-to-me-too-babar-azam-on-pakistans-squad-overhaul",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T20:02:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/sport/cricket/it-was-news-to-me-too-babar-azam-on-pakistans-squad-overhaul-1.500667790"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Pakistan captain Babar Azam expressed surprise at the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to overhaul the squad ahead of the third Test against England, stating that he only learned about the changes after they had been implemented. The PCB released seven players, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Agha, alongside making changes to the coaching staff with the introduction of Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke. Babar acknowledged that the new players had a golden opportunity to prove themselves, but defended the selections for the first two Tests, stating that they believed they had chosen the best combination based on the pitch and conditions. With a final lineup almost ready, Babar emphasized that Pakistan would assess the conditions at Edgbaston before confirming the final XI.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}