Pakistan cricket’s disastrous England tour took another bizarre turn on Wednesday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly instructed players who had already been axed from the squad to attend a meeting with Britain’s King Charles at Clarence House in London.
According to The Telegraph, seven players dropped from Pakistan’s touring squad were told to turn up for the royal engagement amid concerns that a poor turnout could embarrass the PCB. One unnamed player reportedly refused to attend the meeting.
The development comes just days after Pakistan’s cricket administration carried out a major overhaul following back-to-back Test defeats against England at Headingley and Lord’s.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad were sent home, while head coach Sarfaraz Khan and members of the support staff were also removed following the team’s disappointing performances.
Despite the upheaval, Pakistan’s remaining players and officials attended the engagement with King Charles at Clarence House.
The monarch spoke to Pakistan’s cricketers, including spinner Sajid Khan and Ubaid Shah, and offered words of encouragement as the team endured a difficult tour. Captain Babar Azam presented Charles with a signed cricket bat, while PCB chairman and Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also presented the King with a gift.
Such royal engagements are not unusual when international cricket teams tour England. However, the reported decision to summon players who had already been dropped has drawn attention, particularly with The Telegraph attributing the move to fears of an embarrassing turnout.
The royal engagement also unfolded against a politically charged backdrop. Protesters gathered outside Clarence House to demonstrate over alleged human rights violations in Pakistan while the cricketers met the King inside.
The England tour has already been overshadowed by controversy beyond cricket. During the Lord’s Test, the PCB reportedly threatened to withdraw its players from the field if Sky Sports broadcast an interview with the sons of jailed former Pakistan captain and prime minister Imran Khan. The interview was eventually aired, and Pakistan returned to the field before going on to lose the Test.
With defeats piling up and the PCB scrambling to manage the fallout, the Clarence House episode has added yet another unusual chapter to Pakistan cricket’s troubled England tour.
