Pakistan’s troubled tour of England has taken another unexpected turn, with one of the players dropped from the Test squad reportedly refusing to attend a meeting with King Charles III at Clarence House.
According to a report in The Telegraph, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had instructed all seven players who were discarded from the squad for the third Test to attend the royal engagement. However, one of them allegedly declined to turn up in protest against the board’s decision to send him home midway through the tour.
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The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday when members of the Pakistan team visited Clarence House to meet King Charles. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was also present at the event. Although the seven dropped players had initially been reluctant to attend, the board insisted that they be part of the gathering.
The PCB’s decision was reportedly influenced by the fact that the replacements for the discarded players had not yet arrived in England. With a smaller group otherwise expected to attend the meeting, the board apparently wanted to avoid an awkward-looking gathering during the royal audience.
The Telegraph reported that four of the seven players—Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad and Muhammad Awais Zafar—did attend the event. However, the report did not identify the player who refused to appear.
The latest controversy follows a major overhaul of Pakistan’s Test setup after the team suffered consecutive innings defeats in England. The PCB responded by sending seven players back home and making changes to the coaching staff. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed from their positions, while white-ball coach Mike Hesson was brought in ahead of the third Test.
During the royal meeting, Pakistan captain Babar Azam reportedly presented King Charles with a signed cricket bat. Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, presented a gift to the King.
Meetings between touring cricket teams and members of the British royal family have traditionally been part of Test tours in England. However, Pakistan’s current visit has been marked by several controversies, making the latest incident another talking point surrounding the team.
The tour had already generated headlines during the Lord’s Test when Pakistan threatened not to return to the field after lunch on the opening day. The dispute followed Sky Sports’ broadcast of an interview with the sons of former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.
With the third Test approaching and major changes already made to the squad and coaching setup, attention will now turn to whether Pakistan can recover on the field and end a turbulent phase of the England tour on a stronger note.
