Pakistan interim red-ball coach Mike Hesson says Salman Ali Agha was never expected at the Buckingham Palace event to meet King Charles III and calls reports he declined an invite fabricated. Pakistan trail England 2-0 after heavy defeats; the third Test starts on September 9.
Pakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson pushed back firmly against reports that Salman Ali Agha declined an invitation to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles III on Thursday, September 3. Hesson is serving as the interim red-ball coach after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sacked Sarfaraz Ahmed following the team's consecutive defeats against England at Headingley and Lord's.
Ahead of the final Test of the three-match series at Edgbaston, the Babar Azam-led side met with King Charles III as part of a traditional royal reception at Clarence House. The palace event followed Pakistan’s decision to release seven players, including Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha and Imam-ul-Haq, from the Test squad after the 194-run Lord’s defeat.
It was reported that Agha was asked to stay back in England since he led Pakistan in Babar Azam's absence in the opening Test, but declined to attend the royal gathering. This has further fuelled speculations of an internal rift within the camp amid chaotic scenes that have the cricketing world talking.
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Hesson Dismisses Reports of Salman’s Palace Snub
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Edgbaston Test, Mike Hesson addressed the reports surrounding Salman Ali Agha’s absence from the royal reception, dismissing them as fabricated and insisting that Agha had been informed he would not attend the event.
“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.
“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.
In the opening match of the Test series against England, where he was stand-in skipper, Salman Ali Agha registered scores of 21 and 4 in both innings. However, in the second Test at Lord’s, he was dropped from the playing XI and did not feature in the match.
Ahead of the Edgbaston Test, Salman Ali Agha was among the seven Pakistani players who were sent back following the defeat at Lord's.
Hesson Denies Last-Minute Changes to Royal Guest List
Further speaking on the matter, Hesson said Agha and the other two released players had been informed before his arrival that they would not attend the royal engagement, ruling out any last-minute snub.
“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.
After having already lost the series with two consecutive losses against England at Headingley and Lord’s, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan has no other option but to fight for pride as they step out at Edgbaston to salvage something from an otherwise catastrophic tour.
Meanwhile, Pakistan added Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah to their squad as replacements for seven players who were sent back home following the PCB’s major overhaul ahead of the third and final Test against England.
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