Birmingham, September 4, 2026: Pakistan white-ball and interim red-ball head coach Mike Hesson has dismissed speculation surrounding Salman Ali Agha’s absence from the Pakistan squad’s meeting with King Charles III at Clarence House, describing reports linking the all-rounder’s non-attendance to recent Test squad changes as fabricated.
Pakistan’s squad was invited to the royal engagement during its ongoing Test tour of England, with players and officials meeting King Charles ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.
Salman’s absence from the gathering, however, sparked speculation that his non-attendance may have been connected to his release from Pakistan’s Test squad for the third match.
The speculation centred on the possibility of a perceived snub or protest against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following Agha’s omission from the squad.
Besides Agha, Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad — all released from the Test squad — were present at the royal engagement, while Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan had already returned home.
Hesson rejected the speculation, clarifying that Agha and two other players had been released from the squad before he joined the team and had already been informed that they would not attend the royal engagement.
“Look, I know there’s been a void in the news, but people are just making up stories. Salman Ali Agha, as I’ve said, the three players were released from the squad before I arrived, well before Buckingham Palace,” Hesson said during a media conference.
“They were sent a note at that time that these three players would not be attending Buckingham Palace. So, someone’s just made something up,” he added.
The 51-year-old coach further said there had been no last-minute changes to the list of attendees, with the remaining members of the squad already included.
“In terms of the other players, all of the rest of the players that were in the squad were already on the list. I was already on the list as the white-ball head coach, so there have been no changes to it,” he said.
“It was all very straightforward. Someone’s just got two and two together and come up with nine. For me, that’s unacceptable journalism,” Hesson concluded.
Agha was among seven players released from Pakistan’s Test squad ahead of the third match, as the PCB overhauled the team following heavy defeats in Leeds and Lord’s.
Pakistan have also reshuffled their Test coaching set-up, with Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul released from their respective roles. Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke have subsequently been handed interim responsibility for the Test side.
Pakistan will face England in the third and final Test at Edgbaston from September 9 to 13, with the hosts leading the three-match series 2-0.
Updated Pakistan squad for third Test against England
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
