LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given special permission to veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik to spend time with his family and join the national team in England on July 24.
The PCB said in a press release that Shoaib Malik’s wife, Sania Mirza, and one-year-old son Azhan Mirza Malik are living in India, where Shoaib Malik has been banned from traveling internationally due to the corona virus. He has been in Sialkot since his appointment and before the travel ban, he was involved in the HBL Pakistan Super League by Peshawar Zalmi.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said that unlike us, Shoaib Malik has not been able to see his family for the past five months due to his busy schedule and travel ban due to corona virus.
“As travel restrictions are slowly being eased, which has raised hopes of reuniting the family, it is our responsibility on humanitarian grounds to respect Shoaib Malik’s request,” the chief executive said.
“We have spoken to the England and Wales Cricket Board who understand the situation and they have agreed to grant Shoaib Malik an exemption from entering the country on July 24,” he said. Prior to that, the UK government will follow the policy regarding visitors to the country.
Meanwhile, the PCB has officially announced that the Pakistan squad will leave for Manchester for England on June 28, before which they will leave for Derbyshire for a 14-day quarantine period during which they will undergo training and Practice will be allowed.
Apart from training and practice, a few intra-squad matches will also be held to make up for the lack of practice matches as local teams are not available to play practice matches for the Pakistan cricket team due to non-commencement of the ECB domestic season. ۔
Chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has already announced a 29-member squad for the tour.
However, now 28 members (excluding Shoaib Malik) will go to England on a special chartered plane for T20 matches.
The PCB has also announced a large support staff of 14 officials to manage the team there.
The two cricket boards are still finalizing the schedule for the series, which includes three Tests and a maximum of T20 Internationals, which will take place from August to September.
It should be noted that due to the corona virus, sports activities all over the world were suspended for almost three months, but now they are slowly recovering