A Pakistani player, dropped from the team, refuses to meet King Charles III. amid the chaos of the England tour

Babar Azam with King Charles III Pakistan’s cricket team has been embroiled in yet another controversy after players who were dropped from the Test squad were told to attend a meeting with King Charles III. at Clarence House.According to a report by The Telegraph, the Pakistan Cricket Board reportedly wanted to avoid an embarrassingly low turnout after making major changes to the touring squad. One other eliminated player even refused to participate in the protest.

Eliminated players still participate in the royal meeting

Seven players and several coaches were removed from the traveling group following Pakistan’s defeats to England at Lord’s and Headingley. Despite being dropped, the players were reportedly instructed to attend the royal engagement.Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad and Muhammad Awais Zafar attended the meeting, although the players reportedly preferred to stay away due to unrest in the team.King Charles spoke to the players and officials and offered them encouragement during the tough tour. Pakistan captain Babar Azam presented him with an autographed bat while PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi gave the king a gift.Describing the meeting as positive, Naqvi said the king appreciated Pakistan’s contribution to peace.

The confusion surrounding the Pakistan team continues

The royal meeting came during a major upheaval in Pakistan cricket. The team faced further controversy at Lord’s when they threatened not to return after lunch if an interview with the sons of former captain and prime minister Imran Khan was aired.The interview was broadcast but Pakistan returned to the field before losing the match. The defeat was followed by the removal of seven players and coaches, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was sacked.New Zealander Mike Hesson has since been brought in to lead the team for the rest of the series.