Pakistan cricket turmoil triggers conduct investigation on England tour
The Pakistan Cricket Board has reshaped the touring squad and coaching staff after two heavy Test defeats, while an uncompleted investigation has revived scrutiny linked to the team’s past.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has opened an investigation into the conduct of Pakistan’s squad during its England tour after the team lost the first two Tests of a three-match series.
Pakistan were beaten by an innings at Headingley before losing at Lord’s by 194 runs. Ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston, the PCB sent seven players home and called up seven replacements, five of whom were uncapped at Test level.
The board also removed Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, replacing them with white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke. The available material does not establish that the squad changes were disciplinary action or that current players were involved in match-fixing.
Yahoo Sports, citing Pakistani outlet 365 News, reported that some players’ devices had been handed to the PCB and would remain in its custody until the final Test. The players involved and the reason for holding the devices have not been publicly identified or explained by the board.
The investigation has nevertheless revived memories of Pakistan’s 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing scandal, which involved allegations that players deliberately bowled no-balls at agreed points for money. Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were central figures in that historical case, which is not evidence of wrongdoing during the current tour.
