Bowling coach Waqar to miss second Test

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be going into the second Test against the hosts New Zealand on January 3, 2021 without their bowling coach Waqar Younis, who will be returning to Pakistan soon after the end of the first Test to meet his family members, whom he has not met since June 2020.

Waqar had requested the team management to grant him leave so that he could spend additional time with his immediate family in Lahore before its return to Sydney on January 17.

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

Pakistan manager Mansoor Rana said: “Since Waqar has not seen his family since June so taking into account that our home series against South Africa doesn’t finish until February 14, we took a pragmatic view of his request and allowed him to return home early so that he can spend additional time with his wife and children.