Misbah-ul-Haq ‘decides’ to quit PCB selection committee

• Misbah informs PCB of decision and will serve notice period.
• PCB releases seven players and two coaches from Test squad.
• England lead Pakistan 2-0 in the ongoing Test series.

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has decided to resign from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee, sources close to the former cricketer said on Tuesday.

Sources said that Misbah has informed the PCB about his decision and will serve a notice period before formally stepping down from his role.

The development comes a day after the cricket board announced that seven players alongside two coaches, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, have been released from the Pakistan Test squad ahead of the Third Test against England in Birmingham.

Those released included Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad, according to a press release issued by the cricket board.

The PCB has named seven replacements, comprising five players yet to make their Test debuts and two capped players, ahead of the third Test against England in Birmingham.

According to the cricket board, Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke will replace Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul in the backroom staff.

The sweeping changes came after Pakistan suffered heavy defeats in the opening two games of the ongoing Test series. They lost the first Test by an innings and 103 runs before England secured a 194-run victory in the second Test.

Sarfaraz was appointed Pakistan’s red-ball head coach by the PCB on April 18, ahead of the team’s two-match Test tour of Bangladesh. Pakistan suffered a 2-0 series whitewash in his first assignment in charge.

Pakistan subsequently toured the West Indies for a two-match Test series, which ended 1-1.