Waqar Younis To Return To Pakistan After First Test Against New Zealand

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday said that the bowling coach Waqar Younis will return to Pakistan after the first Test against New Zealand. "Bowling coach Waqar Younis will return to Pakistan after the first Test against New Zealand to meet his family, whom he has not met since June," PCB said in a statement. "Waqar Younis had requested the team management to be granted leave so that he can spend additional time with his immediate family, which will be in Lahore before returning to Sydney, Australia, on 17 January," it added.

PCB said that Waqar will rejoin the side in time for the series against South Africa, which starts with the first Test in Karachi on January 26.

Pakistan manager Mansoor Rana, in a statement, said: "Considering Waqar has not seen his family since June and taking into account that our home series against South Africa, which follows the series against New Zealand, doesn't finish until 14 February, we took a pragmatic view of his request and have allowed him to return home early so that he can spend additional time with his wife and children."

"If he had returned to Lahore with the side after the second Test, he would have only got a week to spend with them. For all of us, families always come first and we have in the past made similar exemptions so that our team members are able to achieve the correct work-life balance," Rana added.

The first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand will begin on December 26, followed by the second Test which is set to commence on January 3.

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Waqar Younis Cricket