Yousuf to leave for South Africa next week
by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter
DateLine: 16th January 2007
Record-breaking batsman Mohammad Yousuf will join the Pakistan team in
South Africa next week after his wife gave birth to a baby girl, the
Pakistan Cricket Board said Saturday.
"Yousuf will be leaving for South Africa early next week after his wife
gave birth to a baby girl on Friday and now he is out of the family
problem due to complication of the situation," the board said in a
statement.
The 32-year-old batsman missed the squad's departure after his wife
suffered pregnancy complications. It was feared Yousuf would miss the
entire series.
Yousuf, who scored 1778 runs in 2006 to create a new world record of
most runs in a calendar year, is likely to be available for the second
Test starting at Port Elizabeth from January 19.
The stylish right-handed batsman also missed two of the five one-day
internationals against the West Indies last month because of his wife's
health.
Pakistan earlier received a boost when express paceman Shoaib Akhtar
joined the squad on Friday. Akhtar was not in the original 17-man team
but was sent as replacement after fast bowler Umar Gul sustained an
ankle injury.
