BAN vs PAK: Shoaib Malik to miss final T20I due to family reasons

Veteran Pakistan batter Shoaib Malik will not be playing in the third and the final T20I against Bangladesh on November 22, 2021. It has been reported that due to an illness to his child, he will be departing for Dubai just ahead of the final game. Pakistan has already claimed the series 2-0, after winning the first two games. 

Malik has had a brilliant run in the last few months. He was initially not named in the squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. However, days prior to the tournament, Shoaib Maqsood got injured and had to be replaced by someone. Malik was brought into the side for his experience and the plan worked. 

Malik played a couple of crucial knocks during the tournament, especially his hands in the wins against Afghanistan and New Zealand. He also managed to break the record for the fastest fifty by a Pakistan batter in T20Is, when he got his in just 18 balls against Scotland. He did fail in the semi-final, but despite several speculations of him retiring at the end of the tournament, he has decided to continue. 

Pakistan’s focus will soon shift from T20Is to Tests

The 39-year-old traveled to Bangladesh with the team but didn’t have anything notable. He scored a duck in the first game and didn’t get to bat in the second. Malik’s absence will now give opportunities to other players in the squad. As Pakistan has already claimed the series, they could try a combination not seen in this series so far. 

As far as the team’s return is concerned, a press release on Pakistan Cricket Board’s official website read out the details of the travel of Malik and some other players. The T20I team will leave for Pakistan on Tuesday and go via Dubai. Leg-spinner Usman Qadir and all-rounder Imad Wasim will be spending some time in Dubai with their families. 

After the T20I series, Pakistan will play two Tests against Bangladesh starting from November 26, which will be a part of the World Test Championship. The release read, “The national Test side will travel to Chittagong on Tuesday for the first of the two Tests. Bowling consultant Vernon Philander will leave the side at the completion of the first Test as he was available for the three T20Is and the first Test.”