Pakistan will try to salvage some pride when they face England in the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
England have already secured the three-match series. They won the opening Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs. They then defeated Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord’s.
Now, Pakistan face a very different challenge in Birmingham.
The team must rebuild quickly after a dramatic shake-up. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent seven players home after the Lord’s defeat. It also changed the coaching staff before the final Test.
Pakistan make major changes
The PCB released Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman.
Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad also left the squad.
Five of the seven replacements have yet to play a Test for Pakistan. Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal are the two replacements with Test experience.
The coaching staff also changed.
The PCB removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. White-ball coach Mike Hesson will now take charge for the final Test. Former Australia seamer Ashley Noffke will oversee the bowling attack.
The scale of the changes has raised questions about Pakistan’s planning.
Hesson has also acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding his appointment. He said the players were more accustomed to chaos than he was.
New players face a difficult test
Pakistan have little time to prepare their new-look squad.
The replacements joined the team ahead of the Edgbaston Test. However, they had no tour match between the second and third Tests.
That could make England’s conditions even harder to handle.
England’s bowlers have already exposed Pakistan’s batting problems. Pakistan have failed to reach 200 in any of their four innings in the series.
The hosts, meanwhile, have built confidence with their pace attack.
Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson have caused major problems for Pakistan’s batsmen.
Therefore, the visitors need a major improvement with the bat if they hope to avoid a clean sweep.
Pakistan face questions beyond Edgbaston
The changes have also triggered criticism of Pakistan’s cricket administration.
Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has questioned the decisions made by performance director Aaqib Javed.
Former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie has also criticized the way the PCB handled the changes. He said frequent disruption has damaged stability within the team.
The PCB has since announced an investigation into the team’s conduct during the England tour.
For Pakistan, however, the immediate priority remains the final Test.
A victory would not change the series result. Nevertheless, it could provide some confidence after two heavy defeats.
England target a clean sweep
England enter the final Test with a very different outlook.
Joe Root and his teammates have already won the series. They now want to complete a 3-0 sweep.
Root will also lead England after returning to the captaincy for this series.
The hosts have shown greater consistency throughout the campaign. They have also adapted better to the conditions.
Pakistan, by contrast, need to rediscover their competitive edge.
A win at Edgbaston would offer some consolation. More importantly, it could give the team a small boost after a turbulent tour.
Yet Pakistan’s problems run deeper than one match.
The team has now lost 15 of its last 20 Tests, according to the supplied report. That record has raised serious questions about the direction of Pakistan cricket.
For the players arriving in Birmingham, though, the task is simple.
They must find a way to compete, survive England’s attack and give Pakistan something to celebrate.
