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* Gillespie says Pakistan players are 'playing with fear'* Former coach says Pakistan lacks a clear selection strategy under Aaqib Javed* Gillespie says axed players learned of omissions through family and media reportsFormer Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie said the team's latest upheaval reflected a lack of stability off the field, after the Pakistan Cricket Board overhauled the squad and coaching staff midway through the Test series against England.Pakistan sent home seven players, including former captain Salman Ali Agha, and parted ways with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul after heavy defeats in the opening two Tests.Pakistan lost the first Test by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194 runs to go 2-0 down in the three-match series, failing to score more than 200 in all four innings.Gillespie, who coached Pakistan from April to December 2024, said constant changes had made it difficult for the team to build consistency."I feel for the players - this is these guys' livelihoods," Gillespie told The Australian newspaper."From the outside it looks like they are playing with fear. Salman Ali Agha goes from captaining the team in the first test against England, to being out of the team for the second test and on the plane home before the third test. How does that work?"If you want consistency on the field there needs to be consistency off the field. That goes to board level, selection and coaching level."Pakistan have had six test coaches in the past three years, with former Australia fast bowler Gillespie among them. ONE WIN OUT OF LAST 8 TESTSPakistan have won one of their last eight Test series since August 2024, a run that includes a 2-1 victory over England under Gillespie."Aaqib Javed (Director High-Performance, Pakistan Cricket Board) came out recently and blamed (former Pakistan white-ball coach) Gary Kirsten and myself for everything that is going on. Aaqib has been chairman of selectors for the past two years. We haven't even been there," Gillespie said."Somehow he claims it is our fault. Make sense out of that. I think Javed needs to look at himself in the mirror."Reuters has contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board for comment.Gillespie was also critical of how some players learned of their omissions."The players who were sacked heard it through family and friends and the media," he said. "How disrespectful is that?"Despite his criticism, Gillespie said he remained a strong admirer of Pakistan's players."The talent there is as good as anywhere in the world," he added. "These players just need support off the field."Pakistan face England in the third and final Test from September 9 to 13. 

Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha said Mehidy Hasan Miraz should had shown the “sportsman spirit” after the ‌Bangladesh captain ended his innings with ​a controversial run-out ‌in Friday’s One-Day International in ‌Dhaka. Short of his ‌crease at the non-striker’s ‌end, Agha bent down to pick up the ball to return it to the bowler after his teammate Mohammad Rizwan had driven it towards him. However, Bangladesh captain Mehidy circled around behind Agha to collect the ball and threw down the ​stumps. The dismissal immediately revived discussions about the “spirit of cricket” and had echoes of the 2023 Ashes ‌controversy when Australia’s Alex Carey ​stumped England’s Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s. “I ​think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha told reporters after Pakistan’s 128-run win. “What he has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I ‌would have gone ‌for sportsman spirit.” Agha reacted angrily in the moment, throwing down his gloves and helmet, but later downplayed his outburst. “I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but ​he already decided. “If you ask me what would I have done, I would have done things differently. But ... whatever happened after that, it was in the moment.” Pakistan and Bangladesh will play the third ODI on Sunday, with the three-match series level ‌at 1-1. 

Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten century and Haris Rauf’s four-wicket burst helped Pakistan pip Sri Lanka by just six runs in the opening ODI of the three-match series as they successfully defended the 299-run total Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.Pakistan’s pace arsenal led by Haris (4-61) picked up eight of the nine Sri Lankan wickets to fall as Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah also chipped in with two scalps apiece. Meanwhile, Mohammad Nawaz outfoxed Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka at a crucial juncture in the chase.Wanindu Hasaranga top-scored for his side with a 52-ball 59 hitting seven fours and kept them well in the hunt till 49th over after walking in to bat at 191-6, when Sri Lanka required 109 runs off the remaining 102 balls.Hasaranga – who struck his fifth half-century in the format – stitched a 19-run stand with Kamindu Mendis, a 42-ball 37-run stand with Dushmantha Chameera and finally a 26-ball 32-run ninth-wicket stand with Maheesh Theekshana (21 not out, 18b, 2x4s) before being caught at long-on boundary off Naseem in the penultimate over.With 21 required off the last over delivered by Hussain Talat, Theekshana threatened Pakistan with two consecutive fours off the third and fourth ball before only gathering two runs off the remaining two as Sri Lanka agonisingly fell six runs short.In pursuit of the 300-run target, Sri Lankan opening duo of debutant Kamil Mishara (38, 36b, 5x4s, 1x6) and Pathum Nissanka (29, 39b, 3x4s) got their team to a flying start as they belted 85 runs off the opening 11.5 overs including 75 in the Powerplay.Haris missed out on a hat-trick after he he got Mishara caught at mid-off and castled Kusal Mendis for a golden duck. He then returned to further dent Sri Lanka’s audacious progress by getting Nissanka caught behind with the scorecard reading 90-3 in 13.2 overs.Sadeera Samarawickrama (39, 48b, 6x4s) and Charith Asalanka (32, 49b, 2x4s) then rebuilt the innings with a dogged 80-ball 57-run stand, which was again broken by Haris courtesy an outstanding one-handed grab by Babar Azam at first slip to remove the former.Asalanka then put on 36 runs with Janith Liyanage before Nawaz got him stumped in the 32nd over. Liyanage, who lifted Sri Lanka’s spirits with two fours and as many sixes in a 24-ball 28 was bowled by Naseem in the 33rd over with 191 on the board and four wickets in hand.Earlier, Pakistan were asked to bat first and Sri Lanka took 4.1 overs to draw first blood as Asitha Fernando trapped Saim Ayub leg-before for a 14-ball six following which Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman dug deep for a 54-run second-wicket stand.Hasaranga then cut open Pakistan’s innings with three valuable scalps getting Fakhar (32, 55b, 2x4s) stumped, Rizwan trapped leg-before and beating Babar’s defenses to hit the stumps as the hosts were reduced to 95-4 in 23.2 overs.Salman – who brought up his second ODI ton (105 not out, 87b, 9x4s) – joined forces with Hussain Talat (62, 63b, 6x4s, 1x6) to lift Pakistan out of the hole as the duo put on a game-changing 138-run stand for the fifth wicket.That Pakistan converted their 96-4 from first 25 overs to 299-5 by collecting 203 runs in the second half of the innings was due to the Salman and Hussain’s counterattacking effort. The duo picked the pace after 35th over when they were 152-4, getting at least a boundary off each over except 40th and 43rd.Hussain fell to Theekshana in the 44th over before Nawaz arrived to provide Pakistan a late flourish with his brisk 23-ball 36 not out hitting five four and one six. He also shared an unbeaten 66-run stand with Salman.Salman brought up his century off 83 balls in the 48th over – which yielded 20 runs - hitting Chameera for two consecutive fours and a single off the first three balls. Pakistan crucially took 22 runs off the last two overs of their innings including a four on the last ball to post their fourth-highest ODI total at the venue.Brief ScoresPakistan 299-5, 50 overs (Salman Ali Agha 105 not out, Hussain Talat 62, Mohammad Nawaz 36 not out, Fakhar Zamn 32, Babar Azam 29; Wanindu Hasaranga 3-54) bt Sri Lanka 293-9, 50 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 59, Sadeera Samarawickrama 39, Kamil Mishara 38, Charith Asalanka 32, Pathum Nissanka 29, Janith Liyanage 28, Maheesh Theekshana 21 not out; Haris Rauf 4-61, Faheem Ashraf 2-49, Naseem Shah 2-55)