England all-rounder and vice-captain Ben Stokes will miss the remaining two Test matches against Pakistan due to family reasons, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Sunday (August 9).

"Stokes will leave the UK later this week and travel to New Zealand. He will miss England's two Test matches against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl starting on Thursday 13 August and Friday 21 August.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, along with the Stokes family, requests that all media respects the family's privacy at this time." said the ECB in their statement.

Stokes' parents still live in New Zealand where he was born. He will be flying later this week to be with his family, missing the last two Tests at the Ageas Bowl on August 13 and August 21. It is unclear whether he would be available for the three T20Is to follow.

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Stokes has been in phenomenal form in the last 18 months with both bat and ball, and captained England for the first time against West Indies in July, in the absence of regular Test captain Joe Root, who was away for the birth of his second child.

England lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test at Old Trafford by three wickets while chasing the target of 277, thanks to a sixth-wicket partnership of 139 between Jos Buttler (75) and Chris Woakes (84*).