Veteran batsman Younis Khan will play no further part in Pakistan’s one-day series in Sri Lanka following the death of his 10-year-old nephew, it was announced yesterday.
“Younis will return home on Monday as his nephew Saad Khan died while having a liver transplant in India,” a Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman said.
The 36-year-old Younis made only three runs in Pakistan’s four-wicket win in the first one-day international in Hambantota on Saturday.
Pakistan have already lost ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, who will miss the first two one-day internationals to have his suspect bowling action tested in an Australian biomechanics lab.
The PCB spokesman said no replacement will be sent as lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan is already in Sri Lanka as cover.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka play the second match in Hambantota today.
The visitors now have the chance to inflict a successive ODI series defeat on the hosts, after the South Africans beat them 2-1 last month.
What will make Sri Lanka’s task tougher is the fact that they have lost three matches in a row at the venue.
Captain Angelo Mathews had said that since the team is focused on getting their combination right for the World Cup, some experimentation could be carried out.
But now that they are trailing in the series, the hosts might put those plans on hold and pick the strongest team.
The third and final match will be played in Dambulla on August 30.
