Pakistan interim red-ball coach Mike Hesson has dismissed reports suggesting that Salman Ali Agha was excluded from the meeting with King Charles as part of the recent squad changes.
Pakistan’s squad was invited to a royal engagement during its Test tour of England, with players and officials meeting King Charles ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.
The absence of all-rounder Salman Ali Agha, however, led to speculation that his non-attendance was linked to the recent changes to Pakistan’s Test squad.
Some reports suggested his absence could have been a protest or snub following his omission from the squad for the third Test.
Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad, who were also released from the Test squad, attended the meeting. Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan had already returned to Pakistan.
Hesson said that Salman Ali Agha and two other players had already been released from the squad before he arrived in England, and that their absence from the meeting was known in advance.
“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.
He disclosed that the three players had received a note informing them that they would not attend the meeting at Clarence House.
“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.
Hesson said there had been no changes to the list of players attending the meeting, with the rest of the squad members already included.
“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.
