Babar Azam gifts signed Pakistan bat to King Charles amid England tour chaos

Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam presented King Charles III. cricket bat signed by the entire national team during the team’s visit to Clarence House in London on Wednesday. The gesture came during a tour of England that was marred by heavy defeats, major line-up changes and increasing scrutiny of Babar’s own performances.

Babar, along with the Pakistan squad and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, met the monarch at his London residence on 2 September, with the captain handing over a specially signed bat as a gesture of goodwill and sportsmanship.

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The royal meeting offered a brief change of tone a tour that quickly unraveled for Pakistan. England had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning the first Test by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194 runs, with Pakistan failing to post an innings total of 200 or more in either match.

The response was drastic. Pakistan recalled seven players midway through the seriesincluding Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha and injured opener Imam-ul-Haq, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed. White-ball coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have since taken charge ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston, which starts on September 9.

BABAR’S wretched ENGLAND TOUR

Babar’s return to Test captaincy hardly went according to plan. After missing the first Test with a finger injury, he returned at Lord’s but managed only 8 and 6 as Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in the first innings and 194 chasing 389.

His latest setbacks have extended a difficult run with the red ball. Babar has gone 18 Test innings without a half-century, while his average has dipped below 21 in nine Tests since the start of 2023, adding to questions over both his batting and leadership.

IMRAN KHAN SONS INTERVIEW ADDS DRAMA

The tour was also caught up in an unexpected controversy during the Lord’s Test when Sky Sports was on air interview with Kasim and Sulaiman Khansons of former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan, during the lunch break.

The conversation prompted a formal complaint from the PCB, with reports claiming the board was considering asking Pakistan not to return to the field. The team eventually went ahead with the game, while Babar later said he was not aware of any discussion in the dressing room about the refusal to take the field.

With the royal engagements behind them, Pakistan’s attention turns back to cricket. Babar and his revamped side take on England in the third and final Test at Edgbaston from September 9, with the visitors looking to avoid a series fade and bring some stability to an increasingly chaotic tour.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

03 Sep 2026 07:46 IST