Pakistan sent seven players and two coaches home, and Cricidiot has been trying to keep count
The PCB released seven players and both senior coaches after the Lord’s defeat, then gave its own selectors 24 hours to explain in writing why two of those players were picked. CricTalk’s least qualified columnist follows the arithmetic.
Key points
Seven players were released after Lord’s: Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. Five of the seven replacements have never played a Test.
Ali Usman was sent home a fortnight after becoming the first overseas spinner since 1972 to take a five-for at Headingley.
Salman Ali Agha went from stand-in Test captain to released player in twelve days.
The PCB gave selectors Aaqib Javed, Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq 24 hours to explain in writing why Rizwan and Imam were picked. The fourth selector was Sarfaraz Ahmed, the head coach it had just removed.
Misbah has resigned from the committee; the board has not yet accepted it. England lead 2–0 with Edgbaston starting on 9 September.