Ramiz Raja criticises Pakistan board after mass mid‑series sackings in England
Former Pakistan captain and ex‑PCB chairman Ramiz Raja criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to remove seven players and two coaches from the squad in England during the three‑Test series, speaking on the BBC Test Match Special podcast on September 1, 2026. He said he was "A lot of shock," at the timing and scale of the changes.
Pakistan lost the first two Tests against England, suffering an innings-and-103-run defeat at Headingley and then a 194-run loss at Lord's as England secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. In response, the PCB released Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad from the squad and removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. The board brought seven replacements into the touring party, including five players yet to play Test cricket, ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston.
Asked for his initial reaction on the BBC programme, Raja said, "A lot of shock." He added, "This is not done in cricket. And so why have they done it? Obviously, they're feeling the heat. But in any circumstances during the series, this has never happened."
Raja also said, "So Pakistan have actually created a world record," and followed with, "I am really, really not happy with this situation." He compared the move to a football dismissal, saying, "This is more like football, midway through the season, you fire the manager," and argued, "But this is a series that is happening. So they could have easily waited for another 10 days before taking a call."
He criticised the decision to make sweeping changes before the Edgbaston match, saying, "I still am trying to convince myself that this is all okay," and asserting, "It just shows Pakistan cricket has hit a panic button and it's not good for the game, not good for the confidence of the players who have left and not good for the confidence of the players who have come in."
On the potential impact on team dynamics, Raja warned, "It makes you a selfish team, it makes you an individualistic team," and asked, "And what is the guarantee that they will get the results also?" He placed the sackings within a broader context of turmoil, saying, "It's a plethora of so many things that have happened. It's gone haywire."
When asked how Pakistan could address the situation, Raja replied, "If you ask me how to fix it, I have no idea. I really have no idea." He predicted continued instability, saying, "The next year or so is going to be as turbulent as the last year or two."
Raja expressed particular concern at the removal of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, describing them as former Pakistan internationals and saying, "Once you remove a coach. In this instance, you have thrown out Sarfaraz Ahmed, his deputy Umar Gul," then adding, "These are cricketers who have done so well for Pakistan over the years. But they have been booted out." He questioned the wider consequences: "I don't know what will happen to the psyche of the team and the ex-cricketers," and asked, "Who would want a job with Pakistan cricket if they are not respected?" Babar Azam will be under immense pressure when Pakistan take the field in the third and final Test, starting September 9 in Birmingham.
