LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday granted special dispensation to veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik by allowing him to join the national side in England on July 24 after spending time with his family.

The PCB in a press release states: “Shoaib’s wife, Sania Mirza, and one-year-old son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, have been in India, while Shoaib has been in Sialkot since the imposition of international travel ban due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the travel ban, Shoaib was involved for Peshawar Zalmi in the HBL Pakistan Super League [from Feb 20 to March 17, when it was suspended].”

PCB chief executive officer Wasim Khan said: “Unlike the rest of us, Shoaib Malik has not seen his immediate family for nearly five months due to his commitments and the subsequent international travel bans following the Covid-19 pandemic. 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.

“We have spoken with the England and Wales Cricket Board who understand the situation and have agreed to make an exception by helping Shoaib enter the country on July 24. Shoaib will follow the UK government’s policies on visitors entering the country before integrating with the side.”

Meanwhile, the PCB also announces officially that the Pakistan squad leave for England on June 28 for Manchester, before moving to Derbyshire for a 14-day quarantine period during which they will be allowed to train and practice.

Apart from training and practicing, there will be intra-squad matches to compensate for the lack of practice matches due to non-availability of local teams as the ECB is yet to commence its domestic season.

Chief selector-cum-head coach Misbah-ul-Haq had already announced a  29-member squad for the tour. But now 28 members — minus Malik who will be vying for a spot for the T20 matches — will go to England by a  special chartered flight. The PCB has announced a huge support staff of  14 officials to manage the team there.

The two cricket boards are still busy in finalising the schedule of the series that includes three Tests and as many Twenty20 Internationals, tentatively to be held in August-September.

Due to the pandemic,the sports activities the world over remained suspended for almost three months but now it is going to be revived slowly and gradually. The ECB showed keen interest in reviving the sport,despite hitting very hard due to the Covid-19 as it lost  more than 42,000 lives.

But despite loss of human lives, ECB has been the first cricket board in the world to resume international cricket. The West Indies are already in England to prepare for three Tests against Joe Root’s men.

Published in Dawn news