Misbah-ul-Haq Resigns from Pakistan's Selection Committee Amid Major Squad Overhaul

Misbah's Departure from Selection Committee

New Delhi: Misbah-ul-Haq has tendered his resignation from his position as selector for Pakistan's men's selection committee following significant changes made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to the team for the ongoing Test series against England.

Misbah was part of a four-member selection committee that included Aaqib Javed, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Asad Shafiq, which was established in March of this year.

According to reports from Cricinfo, the former captain has decided to step down from the selection panel. The PCB has not yet accepted his resignation, and it is also reported that he has resigned from his role as batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

This decision came shortly after the PCB announced the release of seven players, along with head coach Sarfaraz Khan and bowling coach Umar Gul, from the Test squad, following a disappointing performance against England at Lord's. Pakistan has already lost the series, with England leading 2-0 after a 194-run victory in the second Test.

In a swift response, the PCB released players including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad.

To strengthen the struggling team, five uncapped players—Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah—have been introduced, alongside capped players Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal.

The changes extend beyond the player roster, as red-ball head coach Sarfaraz and bowling coach Gul have been dismissed due to the team's poor performance, which also saw Shan Masood replaced by Babar Azam as Test captain.

White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will assume backroom responsibilities for the remainder of the tour. The PCB confirmed, "Additionally, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have also been released and will be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke in the backroom staff."

Misbah has held various positions within the PCB since retiring from professional cricket in 2017. He took on the roles of head coach and chief selector in 2019 but stepped down from the chief selector position in October 2020 to concentrate on coaching, which he also left the following year.

In 2023, he was brought back as an advisor by Zaka Ashraf, the then-chairman of the ad hoc management committee, and has been involved with the PCB since. He served as a mentor for the men's Champions Cup in 2024-25 and coached Pakistan Gold, leading them to victory in the 50-over National Champions Cup.