As Pakistan’s cricket squad plunged into chaos after their loss at Lord’s, Ajmal accused the PCB of doing more to demoralise their players than their detractors could ever want. Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB, had advised detractors to refrain from criticising the players, arguing that it was unjust to demotivate them.
England took an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after Pakistan lost the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, followed by a 194-run loss at Lord’s. Seven players—Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad—were sent home by the PCB after the Lord’s outcome. On the same day, bowling coach Umar Gul and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed were both fired.
The former Pakistani celebrity asserted on Samaa TV that the board was to blame for the situation. He said, “The board itself has demotivated the players more than anyone else. The board is not letting any player stand. There are players who have done well, who are also dropped. There are players who have been humiliated by PCB. Aaqib Javed [Pakistan selector] and Mike Hesson [Pakistan white-ball coach who has been asked to take over the Test team for the third Test] are a team. These two are controlling everything and are responsible for this whole mess. The whole issue is about egos.”
The PCB acted swiftly to restructure the travelling party following the Lord’s defeat. Hesson, who had been Pakistan’s white-ball coach, took Sarfaraz Ahmed’s post as head coach for the third Test at Edgbaston on September 9, 2026. Umar Gul was replaced as bowling coach by Ashley Noffke, a former seamer for Australia.
Seven players were sent home, including Imam-ul-Haq. He was questioned about a purported calf ailment and did not bat in either of the innings at Lord’s. In a public response to the criticism, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the modifications were performance-based rather than punitive and urged pundits to cease focusing on players.
Earlier, Naqvi said, “Every match of a series is important for us, and we are not left with any option if a player is not performing but to look for his replacement. The purpose behind these changes is not to axe players from contention, but just to replace them. Consider [Salman] Agha, who is a very good player, but he could not click because of some reasons. He was spoken to about it.”
Ajmal’s criticism extended beyond the short-term hiring decisions. He cited Javed and Hesson as the two individuals he holds most accountable for the current situation, arguing that the PCB’s strategy has damaged player confidence and that the board has failed to develop for the future.
With England already certain to win the series, the third and final Test of the series is set for September 9 at Edgbaston. After making the coaching change in the middle of the series due to intense internal and public pressure, Pakistan will play under Hesson for the first time in Test cricket.
