Pakistan batting coach Mohammad Yousuf reverses decision, will travel for New Zealand tour

Pakistan's batting coach, Mohammad Yousuf, is set to travel to New Zealand for the upcoming white-ball tour. He had initially opted out due to his daughter's health on Tuesday, March 11, but made a U-turn only a few hours later.

The legendary former cricketer Yousuf has assured the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he will accompany the team, which will face the Kiwis in a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs. He will depart with the squad on Wednesday.

This will be Pakistan's first assignment since their humiliating Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. They lost to New Zealand and India before their final group-stage encounter against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. The Mohammad Rizwan-led side faced severe criticism after the debacle from fans as well as former cricketers.

Mohammad Yousuf’s appointment as batting coach followed Pakistan’s forgettable Champions Trophy campaign. The former captain was the only new addition to the support staff, as the PCB retained Aaqib Javed as interim head coach for the tour, along with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood. The PCB also stated that it will advertise for the head coach position after the tour, as it aims to hire a permanent coach for the team.

“Yousuf has informed the board that his daughter is now in better health, so he is available to travel with the team to New Zealand,” a PCB official was quoted as saying by India Today.

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New Zealand to field weakened squad as top players prioritize IPL

On the other hand, New Zealand made it to the finals, where they suffered a four-wicket defeat against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Most of the top names in New Zealand cricket won't be featuring in the matches against Pakistan, as they will be with their respective teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Blackcaps have announced their squad for the T20Is, with Michael Bracewell set to lead the team in the absence of regular skipper Mitchell Santner, who has been signed by five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians.

The T20I series gets underway on Sunday, March 16, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Dunedin (March 18), Auckland (March 21), Mount Maunganui (March 23), and Wellington (March 26) will host the last four games in the series. Meanwhile, the ODIs will be played in Napier (March 29), Hamilton (April 2), and Mount Maunganui (April 5).