Pakistan’s bowling coach Waqar Younis was granted leave by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (December 22) to spend time with his family in Lahore.
Younis is currently in New Zealand – where Pakistan is currently playing in a three-match T20I series which is followed by a two-Test series starting December 26 in Mount Maunganui. He will not be available for the second and final Test starting January 2-7 in Christchurch.
After the conclusion of the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand on December 30, Younis will return home in order to spend time with his family in Lahore before they leave for Australia on January 17.
Recently, the bowling coach had asked the PCB for leave as he has not met his family for over six months being on national duty since the tour of England in June 2020.
He had earlier attempted to meet his family, based in Sydney, in September during Pakistan’s tour of Australia, but he couldn’t since he had to left for Lahore to attend his father’s funeral during his 14-day quarantine period there.
Well, the former bowler and coach can now finally meet his family next month as he will leave New Zealand after the first Test and rejoin the Pakistan set-up by January 17 to prepare the team for the home series against South Africa starting January 26 in Karachi.
PCB said in a statement: “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. He 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.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan team manager Mansoor Rana said: “Considering Waqar has not seen his family since June and that our home series against South Africa, which follows the series against New Zealand, doesn’t finish until 14 February, we have allowed him to return home early so that he can spend additional time with his wife and children.”
He concluded, “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.”
(With PTI Inputs)
