Pakistan replace Sarfaraz and release seven players before England Test

Pakistan players train in England after sweeping changes to the Test squad and coaching staff.

Pakistan have removed Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and released seven players from their squad before the third Test against England, appointing white-ball coach Mike Hesson to lead the side for the final match of the tour. The changes followed Pakistan's second successive defeat at Lord's, which confirmed England as series winners.

The Pakistan Cricket Board also removed pace-bowling coach Umar Gul from the Test setup. Ashley Noffke will join Hesson in the revised backroom staff as Pakistan prepare for the third Test in Birmingham.

Seven members of the touring squad have been released after the Lord's Test. The group includes former captains Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, along with Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad.

Pakistan have added players to the group for the final match, with five uncapped players among those in line to make their Test debuts. The revised squad will be led by Babar Azam as it attempts to avoid a series sweep.

Hesson had already been in charge of Pakistan's white-ball programme before being moved into the Test role. His appointment gives him immediate responsibility for preparing a changed group for a match that will close the England tour.

The decision brings a sharp reset during an active series rather than after its conclusion. Pakistan remain in England for the third Test, scheduled to begin in Birmingham on September 9, and must now integrate new players and staff in the days before the match.

Sarfaraz took charge of the Test side in April. His removal after two defeats ends a brief spell in charge of the red-ball team, while Hesson's switch places the coaching operation under a new structure for the final fixture.

Pakistan's sequence of changes extends beyond the coaching staff. The release of seven players alters the balance of the squad, including its wicketkeeping and bowling options, ahead of a match in which the team will seek to produce a markedly stronger performance.

England have already secured the series after the result at Lord's, but Pakistan's changes make the final Test a significant chance for Hesson and the reworked touring party to establish a different direction before the team leaves Britain