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Pakistan men’s cricket team’s batting coach, Mohammad Yousuf hours after withdrawing from the tour of New Zealand, reversed his decision on Tuesday, March 11. Earlier, the former Pakistan cricketer had withdrawn from the tour due to his daughter’s illness with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirming that they will not name a replacement for him.
But hours later, the 50-year confirmed his availability with the PCB stating, “Yousuf has informed the board that his now in better health so he is available to go with the team to New Zealand.” It is to be noted that Yousuf was appointed as the coach following the team’s dismal outing in the recently-concluded ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
Mohammad Yousuf to travel to New Zealand for white-ball series
Following Pakistan’s group stage exit from the Champions Trophy 2025, PCB retained the existing support staff with Aaqib Javed continuing as interim head coach and Azhar Mahmood as assistant coach. Yousuf was the sole addition into the setup. Notably, the Men in Green will leave for New Zealand on Wednesday, March 12 for the white-ball series which includes five T20Is and three ODIs.
Speaking in detail of the series, the tour will commence with the five-match T20Is, starting from Sunday, March 16 in Christchurch. The two sides will play the rest four T20Is in Dunedin, Auckland, Mount Maunganui and Wellington, following which they will travel to Napier to kickstart the ODI-leg.
Pakistan’s T20I and ODI squad for New Zealand series
T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeper/batter will be added to the ODI squad following the T20Is.
