Pakistan Bowling Coach Waqar Younis to Leave New Zealand After 1st Test to Spend Time With Family

The 3-Match T20I series between New Zealand and Pakistan have ended on Tuesday, with black caps winning the series 2-1. Now both the teams will face each other in the 2-Match Test series.

The 2-match Test series in New Zealand is set to begin on December 26, with the Boxing Day Test to be hosted at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan bowling coach, Waqar Younis will head back to Pakistan on December 30 to spend time with his family in Lahore. The 49-year-old hasn’t seen his family in Pakistan since June amid the coronavirus pandemic and the attached quarantine protocols.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, on Tuesday, released a statement that Younis had asked team management to be granted leave so that he can spend additional time with his immediate family.

Younis will rejoin the Pakistan team in time for the series against South Africa, which is set to start from January 26 when Karachi hosts the first test.

Team manager Mansoor Rana said that management took a pragmatic view of Younis’ request since Pakistan’s next home series against South Africa will not end until Feb. 14.

“If he (Younis) had returned to Lahore with the side after the second test, he would have only got a week to spend with them,” Rana said.

“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.”