Misbah-ul-Haq resigns as Pakistan selector after squad drama amid England Test tour

Misbah-ul-Haq has offered to resign from Pakistan’s national selection committee following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s sweeping changes to the Test set-up during the ongoing England tour. However, PCB has not yet accepted Misbah’s resignation. Meanwhile, Misbah has also decided to leave his position as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The development follows Pakistan’s decision to overhaul the Test squad and coaching staff after a 194-run defeat to England at Lord’s. The loss put Pakistan 2-0 behind in the three-match series, with the final Test scheduled at Edgbaston from September 9. Ahead of that, seven players were released, namely Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad.

Pakistan have instead added five uncapped players: Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah. Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal have also been brought into the group.

Notably, the changes extended beyond the playing squad. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul were removed as head coach and bowling coach. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke



have joined the Test coaching staff for the final match of the series.

Misbah’s latest role within the PCB began in March, when he joined a four-member national selection committee alongside Aaqib Javed, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq. He had also been working as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy under a contract requiring 180 days of service each year.

The former captain has held several senior positions within Pakistan cricket. He became head coach and chief selector in 2019 before relinquishing the chief selector role in October 2020. He left the head coach position in 2021.

Misbah returned to the PCB in 2023 as an adviser under Zaka Ashraf’s ad hoc management committee. He later became one of five mentors for the men’s Champions Cup in 2024 and worked with women’s domestic teams. Last month, he guided Pakistan Gold to victory in the 50-over National Champions Cup in Multan, with Shaheen Afridi leading the side.

Meanwhile, Misbah retired in 2017 as Pakistan’s most successful Test captain. Pakistan now face their final Test against England while sitting at the bottom of the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings.