Misbah-ul-Haq resigns from PCB selection committee after Pakistan's Test squad change ahead of 3rd Test against England

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has offered his resignation from the PCB selection committee after the board made major changes to the Test squad ahead of the third Test against England. The PCB is yet to accept his resignation.

Misbah reportedly took the decision after the PCB made changes to the touring squad without consulting him. He is also expected to step down from his role as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The development comes after Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat to England at Lord’s and went 2-0 down in the three-match series. The PCB released seven players and two coaching staff members from the touring squad ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston.

Why Misbah quit: PCB reportedly didn't consult him on Pakistan's 7 replacement players

Misbah-ul-Haq’s reported resignation has raised questions about the way the Pakistan Cricket Board is managing the national team. The former Pakistan captain joined the revamped men’s selection committee in March alongside Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Reports suggest that Misbah was not consulted about the seven replacement players added to the Test squad after several players were sent home. He reportedly submitted his resignation by email, although the PCB has not yet officially confirmed it or explained the reason for his decision.

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The PCB released seven players from the Test squad ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, starting on September 9. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul were also removed from their roles as head coach and bowling coach, respectively.

Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha dropped — Inside PCB's shock squad overhaul in England

The PCB has made a major change to Pakistan’s Test squad for the England tour, releasing Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. Imam missed the second Test at Lord’s due to a calf injury, while Rizwan and Salman were also removed from the squad.

Pakistan have added Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah as replacements. Five of the seven new players are yet to play a Test, while Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal have limited international experience.

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The PCB has also made changes to the Test coaching staff ahead of the third Test. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke have joined the Test coaching setup as Pakistan look to bounce back after losing the first two matches of the series.

What happens next? Pakistan's selectors left short-handed ahead of the final England Test

Pakistan’s major squad changes come after two heavy defeats against England. England beat Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley before winning the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs. Pakistan’s batting has struggled, while England’s pace attack has kept the visitors under pressure. With the series already lost 2-0, Pakistan will now look to avoid a clean sweep in the final Test at Edgbaston from September 9.

Misbah-ul-Haq has held several important roles with the PCB over the years. He became Pakistan’s head coach and chief selector in 2019 before stepping down as chief selector in 2020 and later resigning as head coach in 2021. He returned to the PCB as an advisor in 2023 and later worked as a mentor and coach in domestic cricket. Last month, he guided Pakistan Gold to victory in the National Champions Cup.

Misbah was appointed to the four-member national selection committee in March alongside Aaqib Javed, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq. He was also working as a batting consultant for the PCB under a contract that required him to serve for 180 days each year. His reported resignation has now left the selection committee facing a major challenge ahead of Pakistan’s final Test against England.