LAHORE: Bowling coach Waqar Younis will return to Pakistan early after the first Test against New Zealand to meet his family.
Waqar Younis had requested the team management to be granted leave so that he can spend additional time with his family whom he has not met since June.
His family will be in Lahore before returning to Sydney, Australia on January 17. Waqar will rejoin the side in time for the series against South Africa, which starts with the first Test in Karachi on January 26.
“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,” said Pakistan team manager Mansoor Rana,
He said if Younis had returned to Lahore with the side after the second Test then he would have only 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,” he added.
The Pakistan cricket team is in New Zealand since last month where they were placed under a 14-day quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Test series will start from December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand.
