Pakistan Squad for Third Test vs England: Every Change Explained
Published on September 2, 2026
Summary Overview: Pakistan made seven changes for the third Test vs England, dropping Rizwan and Imam while adding five uncapped players. Here is the full revamped squad.
?Pakistan Blow Up Their Test Squad: Seven Out, Five Debutants In vs England
Quick Questions and Key Answers
What did Pakistan change for the third Test?
Pakistan released seven players and brought in seven replacements, five of them uncapped. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed, with Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke stepping in.
Who are the new players added?
The two experienced call-ups are Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal. The five uncapped names are Arafat Minhas, Mohammad
Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah.
Why did Pakistan make such big changes?
Pakistan are already 2-0 down in the three-match series and out of the World Test Championship race, so the selectors used the final Test to hand fresh players a chance.
The Story: A Mid-Series Reset
Pakistan have pressed the reset button in the middle of a series, and it is one of the boldest shake-ups they have made in years. After going 2-0 down to England, the selectors overhauled almost half the squad ahead of the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting September 9.
For readers new to the format: a Test match is the longest form of cricket, played over five days, and this series is three matches long. England have already won the first two, so they cannot lose the series. That makes the third match a "dead rubber," a game that no longer decides the series result. Pakistan have chosen to use it to look at their future.
Why It Came to This
The tour has been rough. Pakistan lost the first Test in Leeds by an innings and 103 runs, then fell at Lord's by 194 runs, both heavy defeats.
Their World Test Championship hopes were already gone. With nothing left to play for in the standings, the message from the selectors was simple: blood new talent now rather than wait.
Who Is Out
Seven players were released from the squad. The biggest names among them are senior stars Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Agha.
The full list of released players:
- Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper-batter)
- Imam-ul-Haq (opening batter)
- Salman Ali Agha (all-rounder)
- Ali Usman (spinner)
- Aamir Jamal (fast bowler)
- Muhammad Awais Zafar
- Khurram Shahzad (fast bowler)
"Released" here means they were left out of this squad, not retired. The board also said it would look into Imam-ul-Haq's injury situation from the Lord's Test.
Who Is In
Seven players came in, and this is the heart of the story. Two have played for Pakistan before, and five are uncapped, meaning they have never played a Test match.
The two with experience:
- Saim Ayub, a talented top-order batter who has played eight Tests.
- Abdullah Fazal, a batter with two Tests to his name.
The five uncapped players in line to debut:
- Arafat Minhas, a left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder who has featured in white-ball cricket for Pakistan.
- Mohammad Imran Jnr, a left-arm fast bowler.
- Saad Baig, a wicketkeeper-batter who was named Player of the Tournament in Pakistan's domestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
- Mohammad Imran Randhawa, a right-arm pace-bowling all-rounder.
- Razaullah, a right-arm pace-bowling all-rounder.
A Quick Word on the Two Imrans
The squad list can look confusing because there are two similar names. Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Mohammad Imran Jnr are two different players. One is a right-arm pace all-rounder, the other a left-arm fast bowler, so do not mistake them for one person appearing twice.
The Coaching Shake-Up
The changes were not limited to players. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were both removed from their Test roles.
Stepping in are Mike Hesson as head coach and Ashley Noffke as bowling coach, both of whom were already part of Pakistan's white-ball setup. It is a striking amount of change to make mid-series.
Babar Stays in Charge
One constant is the captaincy. Babar Azam retains the leadership for the third Test, and the graphic released by the board confirms him as the man in charge.
For Babar, it is a chance to lead a young, hungry group and salvage some pride from a difficult tour.
The Full Revamped Squad
| Player | Role |
| Babar Azam (c) | Batter |
| Abdullah Fazal | Batter |
| Abdullah Shafique | Opening batter |
| Arafat Minhas | Spin all-rounder |
| Azan Awais | Batter |
| Mohammad Abbas | Fast bowler |
| Mohammad Ali | Fast bowler |
| Muhammad Imran (Randhawa) | Pace all-rounder |
| Mohammad Imran Jnr | Left-arm fast bowler |
| Muhammad Ghazi Ghori | Wicketkeeper |
| Razaullah | Pace all-rounder |
| Saad Baig | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Saim Ayub | Batter |
| Sajid Khan | Off-spinner |
| Saud Shakeel | Batter |
| Shan Masood | Opening batter |
| Ubaid Shah | Fast bowler |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which uncapped players could make their Test debut?
Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah are all uncapped and in line to debut at Edgbaston.
Is Babar Azam still captain?
Yes. Babar Azam keeps the captaincy for the final Test of the series.
Where and when is the third Test?
The match is at Edgbaston in Birmingham and begins on September 9.
Can Pakistan still win the series?
No. England lead 2-0 in the three-match series, so the best Pakistan can do is win this Test and finish 2-1.
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