Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik allowed time with Sania Mirza and family before England tour
Pakistan all-rounder will join squad late in England, not seen family for five months
Pakistan star Shoaib Malik has been given permission to hook up with the Pakistan squad in England late as he will spend time with his immediate family, tennis player Sania Mirza and one-year-old son Izhaan, whom he has not met for five months due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and as many T20s in August-September in a bio-secure environment in England following the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 29-member combined squad will depart on June 28 for Manchester, before travelling to Derbyshire for a 14-day quarantine period during which they will be allowed to train and practise as per the standard operating procedure for the series.
Malik has been stuck in Pakistan while his wife Sania and son Izhaan have been in India due to the ban on international travel.
“Unlike the rest of us, Shoaib Malik has not seen his immediate family for nearly five months,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.
“As travel restrictions are now slowly easing out and there is an opportunity for a family reunion, it is appropriate that at a human level we show compassion as part of our duty of care and respect Shoaib’s request.”
The PCB said they have spoken to their counterparts, England and Wales Cricket Board, who have agreed to make an exception for Malik to enter the country on July 24.
Former captain Malik, 38, retired from Test cricket in 2015 and bowed out of the 50-over format last year after the World Cup in England. He has continued to play the shortest T20 format for Pakistan.