Pakistan’s interim red-ball head coach Mike Hesson has strongly rejected reports that Salman Ali Agha refused to attend a meeting with King Charles III, calling the story “unacceptable journalism” and insisting the Pakistan batter had been told he would not be attending the engagement before Hesson even arrived in England.
The report emerged amid a period of extraordinary turmoil in Pakistan cricket, with seven players dropped from the Test squad following heavy defeats in the opening two matches against England and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed sacked. Salman, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were among those released from the squad.
But Hesson, who took charge of the Test side only after those three players had already left England, said there was no controversy surrounding their absence from the King’s engagement at Buckingham Palace.
“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 on Friday.
“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.
Hesson said the remaining Pakistan players had been on the guest list from the outset and there had been no last-minute changes involving the team.
“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 added.
NO ROLE IN SACKINGS: HESSON
The clarification comes as Hesson attempts to steer Pakistan towards the third and final Test against England in Birmingham, beginning September 9, while keeping himself at arm’s length from decisions that triggered the latest upheaval.
Pakistan lost the first Test by an innings and then suffered a 194-run defeat in the second, leaving them 2-0 down in the series. The results led to a major overhaul, with seven players axed and Sarfaraz removed as head coach.
Hesson, who had been Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, was subsequently asked to take charge of the red-ball side for the final Test.
But he made it clear that he was not involved in the decision to release Salman, Rizwan and Imam.
“When they told me if I could manage the side for the final Test, these three players were already released from the squad and on their way home. So, I really don’t know what happened there,” Hesson said.
His involvement, he explained, came later, when he was asked to reshape the squad for the final Test.
Hesson said he had been in Lahore for a white-ball camp and had only just returned from Japan, where the Asian Games are being held, when he was approached about taking over the Test side.
“I decided to make some changes in the squad to get balance into the squad,” he said.
His focus has since been on putting together a bowling attack capable of offering England a different challenge in Birmingham.
“My emphasis has been on having a bowling attack which has variety and where we have a couple of bowling all-rounders,” Hesson said.
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