Reports: Salman Ali Agha released from Pakistan squad after Lord’s Test defeat

Salman Ali Agha has reportedly been released from Pakistan’s touring squad following the end of the second Test at Lord’s and will play no further part in the three-match series against England. He will not join the team in Birmingham for the third Test at Edgbaston, which is scheduled from September 9 to 13, 2026.

Agha had already been left out of the XI for the Lord’s match, which ran from August 27 to 31, 2026, and Pakistan went on to lose that contest by 194 runs. England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with the comprehensive win at the Home of Cricket. His full release from the squad now brings his involvement in the tour to a close.

The decision follows a difficult first Test at Headingley, Leeds, where Agha managed only 25 runs across two innings during the match played from August 19 to 23, 2026.

Why was Salman Ali Agha left out for the Lord’s Test?

Agha had stepped up to lead Pakistan in the Headingley Test after Babar Azam was struck by a ball during the team’s warm-up match and was ruled out of that fixture. In doing so, Agha became Pakistan’s 36th Test captain.

Despite the significance of that role, his batting output at Headingley gave the selectors little reason to retain him in the XI. He contributed just 25 runs across both innings, and the management responded by leaving him out of the side for the second Test at Lord’s. There seemed to be no injury concerns for Agha as he stepped out to field during the Lord’s Test and also took a blinder of a catch at second slip.

What does Agha’s release mean for the Edgbaston Test?

If the reports are to be believed, Pakistan will select their Edgbaston XI from the remaining members of the squad that was originally announced for the England tour. Babar Azam, who missed the Headingley Test due to the injury sustained in the warm-up match, had been named as captain for the series and is expected to lead the side at Edgbaston.

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Pakistan are languishing at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and will have only pride to play for in the final game of the series. The Edgbaston fixture begins on September 9, 2026, in Birmingham, and represents the last opportunity for Pakistan to finish on a high.

Agha’s absence leaves the squad without one of its all-round options as the management finalises their combination for that match. However, there is no official confirmation regarding Agha’s exit from the side.