Former England spinner and cricket commentator Alex Hartley has criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), calling its handling of the national team “savage” and saying that the setup around it is in shambles.
Speaking during a recent podcast interview, Hartley recalled how quickly events unfolded after she predicted that the board would make drastic changes to the squad. The interviewer pointed out that within an hour of the recording, news broke that seven Pakistan players had been sent home.
“No, it was so weird. I was just like, that’s just how savage they are and how much of a shambles that everything is around the PCB,” Hartley said.
She went on to list the scale of the changes, noting that the board had sacked the coach and sent players home, only to recall Salman Ali Agha because new head coach Mike Hesson wanted him back around the squad.
The conversation then turned to reports that players’ phones had been confiscated. Hartley did not hold back her confusion at the situation.
“I just don’t understand what is happening. I can’t even imagine how this final test is going to go,” she said.
The interview closed with a lighthearted exchange referencing the toss for the third Test, where the interviewer asked how many changes Pakistan had made to their side. The answer, delivered simply, was seven.
Hartley’s comments reflect the wider criticism the PCB has faced in recent days.
After Pakistan’s 194-run defeat to England in the second Test at Lord’s, which handed England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, the board carried out a sweeping overhaul of the touring party. It released seven players, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha, and let go of head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul ahead of the dead-rubber third Test at Edgbaston.
Five uncapped players came in as replacements, with three making their debuts in Birmingham.
Reports also emerged that the team’s security officer had briefly taken possession of some players’ phones after the Lord’s Test, fuelling further speculation about the board’s handling of the squad.
The PCB, however, did not comment on the matter.
