Reports: Misbah-ul-Haq resigns from PCB selection committee after being excluded from Test squad talks

Misbah-ul-Haq has reportedly resigned from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, with immediate effect. He submitted his resignation to the PCB via email, stepping down during an active Test series in England.

According to a report from Pakistan Connect, Misbah's central grievance was that he was not consulted about the selection of the seven replacement players, who were named in the squad on Monday. This was a reactive move from the PCB after Pakistan were humiliated in the first two Tests by England, losing at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs and at Lord's by 194 runs.

The resignation adds to the pressure on Pakistan cricket at a difficult moment. The national side has already suffered defeat in two Test matches during the current England tour, and the selection decisions that preceded the series have now attracted serious internal scrutiny. Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were among the players dropped from the Test squad following poor performances in England, a decision reportedly taken without Misbah's involvement.

Why did Misbah-ul-Haq resign from the selection committee?

Misbah was appointed to the PCB selection committee in March 2026. His inclusion was part of a broader revamp of the panel that followed Aleem Dar's resignation after the T20 World Cup. Two former Test captains, Misbah and Sarfaraz Ahmed, were added to the committee at that stage.

His tenure on the committee lasted approximately six months before his departure. Misbah considered the overhauling of the squad without taking him into confidence as a fundamental failure to honour his role, and he chose to resign rather than continue under those conditions.

No official statement from the PCB had been issued at the time of reporting. The board had not publicly confirmed whether his resignation was accepted or whether any formal response had been communicated to him. According to the aforementioned news portal, Asad Shafiq could also be resigning soon from the selection committee.

What happens to the PCB selection committee now?

Misbah's exit leaves the PCB selection committee short-handed during an active international tour, which increases the urgency of any restructuring the board may need to carry out. Pakistan are still engaged in their Test series in England, and selection decisions for the remainder of that tour will need to be managed without a full committee in place.

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The third and final Test match in Pakistan's tour of England will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, from Wednesday, September 9.