King Charles III met Pakistan’s national cricket team in London ahead of the crucial third and final Test against England, giving the players a brief break from the controversy surrounding the squad.
The meeting took place at Clarence House, where King Charles met the Pakistan squad alongside Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The interaction between the British monarch and Babar Azam particularly caught the attention of cricket fans online. Babar Azam presented King Charles with a cricket bat signed by all members of the Pakistan squad.
The monarch thanked Babar for the gesture and asked about the bat.
“Is this made in Pakistan? Is it Pakistani willow?” King Charles asked.
Babar replied that the bat carried the signatures of all the players. King Charles thanked the entire Pakistan squad before posing with them for photographs.
The meeting comes at a turbulent time for Pakistan cricket. The team has faced major changes ahead of the final Test, including the removal of head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and the departure of seven players, including former captain Salman Ali Agha.
Pakistan has also suffered two consecutive defeats against England in the ongoing Test series.
Mike Hesson has reportedly returned as head coach for the final match, while Babar has once again taken over the captaincy.
The third and final Test between Pakistan and England is scheduled to begin on September 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
