Mohammad Yousuf reverses withdrawal from New Zealand tour

 Pakistan’s batting consultant Mohammad Yousuf has decided to travel with the national team to New Zealand after initially withdrawing due to his daughter's illness, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday.  

Earlier in the day, the PCB had announced that Yousuf would not be going on the tour as he wanted to stay back to take care of his daughter. However, just hours later, the board shared that Yousuf’s plans had changed after receiving good news about his daughter's health.  

“Doctors told me that my daughter's health is better now, so I'm going with the team,” said Yousuf. “Going with the team is a national duty that I have decided to fulfil.”  

Pakistan’s squad is set to leave for New Zealand on Wednesday morning for a white-ball series. The tour includes five T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs), running from March 16 to April 5.  

The last time Pakistan and New Zealand played a T20I series was in April 2024. The first match in Rawalpindi was washed out due to rain, and the five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw, with both teams winning two games each.