Hesson says Pakistan players used to 'chaos' after shake-up

Hesson notes Pakistan players employed to 'chaos' after shake-up. AFP Published September 4, 2026 Updated September 4, 2026 10: 19pm.

Key points

• Senior players Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha – Pakistan's captain at Headingley when Babar Azam was injured – were among those informed to leave.
• Of the seven replacements, only batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal have Test experience.
• Hesson, nevertheless, feels the whole squad can now unite and provide a better account of themselves when the third Test at Edgbaston starts on September 9.
• "From my perspective, it is about putting a balanced squad together, not only for this Test, so we actually have some variety in our attack, " he adds.
• I was heading over to see the King and be part of a nice occasion.

Interim Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson hopes his drastically revamped squad can come through some all too familiar "chaos" with a much-improved showing against England in next week's third and final Test in Birmingham.

Pakistan suffered an innings and 103-run loss in the series opener at Headingley, before going down by 194 runs at Lord's on Sunday as England took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match campaign.

Notably, the Pakistan Cricket Board responded to those defeats in dramatic fashion, taking the extraordinary step of sending seven players home, calling up another seven and replacing sacked Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with Hesson, already Pakistan's white-ball boss.

Senior players Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha – Pakistan's captain at Headingley when Babar Azam was injured – were among those informed to leave. Left-arm spin bowler Ali Usman. This person asserted a five-wicket haul at Headingley, and seamer Khurram Shahzad were additionally sent home.

In practice, the New Zealander had lately been in Japan preparing for the Asian Games and was only due to travel to the UK for the squad's audience with King Charles. It took place on Wednesday.

I was heading over to see the King and be part of a nice occasion. As quoted by the BBC, that obtained expedited, Hesson stated to journalists at Edgbaston on Friday. The last couple of days have been challenging for being in a hotel with some players coming, some players going and then the arrival of everyone.

"The guys are probably more applied to a little bit of chaos than I am. There is no doubt they have been disappointed, incredibly disappointed. We have had to park that and go 'righto, where to from here?' They have been really good over the past couple of days."

Hesson continued: I don't think anyone wants this to happen in the middle of a series.

"From my perspective, it is about putting a balanced squad together, not only for this Test, so we actually have some variety in our attack, " he adds. "Pakistan is known for the pace, unusual actions, mystery spin – we haven't really been able to present any of that."

For now, hesson says Pakistan players used to ' chaos' after shake remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.