Pakistan drop SEVEN players and release their head coach for third England Test with series already lost

Pakistan have made wholesale changes to their squad and backroom staff following their Test series defeat by England.

The tourists have stunningly dropped seven of their players and released their head coach after losing the second Test on Sunday.

England won by 194 runs at Lord’s and that follows their first Test victory at Headingley where they were triumphant by an innings.

And following those harrowing losses, Pakistan have decided to ring the changes ahead of the third and final Test at Edgbaston which begins on September 9.

Muhammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad have all featured in the series but have been dropped. Meanwhile Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar have been sent home without playing.

In addition too, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and his assistant Umar Gul have been released.

In the place of the players comes Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal who have previous Test experience as well as uncapped newcomers Arafat Minhas, Mohammed Imran Jr, Said Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah.

Meanwhile Pakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson and former Australia seamer Ashley Noffke will take charge of the team next week.