Pakistan send Rizwan, Imam home over concerns over dressing room behaviour: Report
The Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to drop former Test cricketer and senior selector Aqib Javed from the national selection panel as part of a wider “clean-up” operation being carried out behind the scenes, a source close to the committee has said.
The development comes days after senior players Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha were sent back from England, a decision that has sparked speculation about the team’s selection and management policies.
“Aqib is also likely to be told to focus on his role as director of development at the Lahore High Performance Centre,” said a well-informed source.
NOT JUST POOR FORM
He claimed that sending back Rizwan, Imam and Salman was part of a larger plan by the PCB, with the former two being left out not just because of their poor form but also because of their behavior in the dressing room.
“The rest of the players who were sent back did so on the recommendation of interim Red-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who wanted to try out some of the players he had worked with at the white-ball camp,” the source said.
The source further said that Rizwan, Imam and Salman will be asked to appear before the committee to explain their conduct regarding certain incidents during the West Indies and England tour.
The source claimed that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is keen on “cleaning up” and that the selection committee could be the next area of change.
“Aqib, who is seen as the chairman’s blue-eyed boy, is also likely to be told to focus only on his role as director of development at the Lahore High Performance Centre,” he said.
Another voter, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, has already offered to step down, according to a source.
NEW SELECTION COMMITTEE
The PCB also issued a notice to the members of the selection committee and the advisory committee seeking clarification on the selection of Imam and Rizwan for the England tour and the criteria used to formulate the selection policy.
“A new selection committee could be announced after the England tour,” the source said.
Aqib has long been considered one of the most influential figures within the PCB and has been seen as having a significant say in selection and other team-related matters.
The board is also considering keeping Hesson as the red-ball team’s permanent head coach if he agrees to take over, the source said.
“If he does not agree, then the board will appoint someone else before the next home series against Sri Lanka in November,” he added.
As for the future of former head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, who have also been relieved of their positions while the team is in England, the source said both will be offered other assignments within the board.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
04 Sep 2026 21:19 IST