Misbah-ul-Haq resigns from selection committee

Former Pakistan captain has sent his resignation to PCB

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has resigned from the national selection committee. “Yes he has sent his resignation to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),” a well-placed source told The Express Tribune. He will serve a notice period before formally stepping down, the source said.

Misbah, who served as Pakistan captain across formats and later coached the national side, was acting as member of the selection committee.

His departure comes hardly a day after the PCB made sweeping changes to Pakistan’s Test squad and coaching staff ahead of the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, scheduled from September 9 to 13.

The source claimed that Misbah was not happy with the way so many changes were made to the squad ahead of third and final Test against England.

The PCB on Monday released seven players from the squad for the final Test and named their replacements, while also making changes to the coaching staff.

It has also been learnt that Misbah has also decided to quit as Naional Cricket Aademy (NCA) batting consultant.

Red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and fast bowling coach Umar Gul were removed from their roles, with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke assigned to oversee the team for the final Test.

Sarfaraz was appointed red-ball head coach on April 18, ahead of Pakistan’s two-Test tour of Bangladesh. Pakistan lost that series 2-0 before drawing 1-1 with the West Indies in a two-Test series.

Pakistan are currently 2-0 down in the three-match series against England, with the final Test to be played at Edgbaston.

Misbah has been working with the PCB since his retirement from international cricket way back in 2017. In 2018 he was the most powerful individual, having served in the dual capacty as Pakistan team head coach and chief selector at the same time. He worked in that capacity until October 2020. Misbah was also then seen acting as advisor to the then PCB chief Zaka Ashraf in the Board's adhoc set-up. More reently under his coaching Pakistan Gold lifted the trophy of the Champions Cup held in Multan. The ace-pacer Shaheen Afridi led the winners.

Misbah has also served as one of the five mentors which had been appointed in the past by the PCB for domestic teams.