ISLAMABAD: A major revelation has emerged regarding the sudden removal of national Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed from his coaching role.
According to renowned sports journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti, many journalists failed to investigate the reasons behind the decision to send Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, along with several players, back from the tour.
Bhatti claimed that Sarfaraz Ahmed received a message from Aaqib Javed instructing him to include Obaid Shah or Aamer Jamal in the playing XI for the Lord’s Test. He was also allegedly asked to drop Mohammad Rizwan and hand Ghazi Ghori his Test debut.
According to Majid Bhatti, Sarfaraz Ahmed then discussed the matter with captain Babar Azam. However, Babar reportedly gave a firm response, saying that he would take the field with Mohammad Rizwan and Khurram Shahzad.
Bhatti further claimed that the disagreement led to tensions within the team management, and that Sarfaraz Ahmed was subsequently removed from his position following the Lord’s Test.
The claims have sparked questions about the decision-making process within the national Test setup and the extent of the captain’s role in selecting the playing XI.
ICC Fines Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana
Earlier, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Fatima Sana 10 percent of her match fee for a Level 1 breach of the governing body’s code of conduct during the Asia Cup match against India.
Fatima Sana was penalised after she gestured towards the pavilion following the dismissal of Indian batter Shafali Verma during the match.
According to the ICC, Fatima Sana was fined 10 percent of her match fee and also received one demerit point for the offence.
The Pakistan captain admitted to the breach, meaning no formal hearing was required.
With the latest penalty, Fatima Sana now has two demerit points accumulated over the past 24 months. Her first demerit point was awarded on August 6, 2025, during the T20 International against Ireland in Dublin.
The ICC’s disciplinary action comes as Pakistan continues their campaign in the Asia Cup, with Fatima Sana leading the side.
