Misbah heading home due to family emergency, unlikely to play 2nd Test

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Misbah ul Haq boarded a flight to return home from New Zealand following the news of the death of his father-in-law.

He is unlikely to lead the team in the second Test against New Zealand in Hamilton.

Sources in Pakistan team confirmed that Misbah was returning to Pakistan from New Zealand from the "first available flight" due to illness of his father-in-law. However, his wife, who is with him on the New Zealand tour, tweeted soon afterward that her father had passed away and she and Misbah were boarding for home.

My father passed away, plz pray for his maghfirat. me and @captainmisbahpk on board coming back to pakistan

— Uzma Misbah Ul Haq (@uzeekhanjee) November 20, 2016

The second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played from November 25 in Hamilton.

Pakistan's vice captain in Tests and ODI captain Azhar Ali will lead the team in the second Test in case of Misbah's unavailability, PCB chairman Shehryar Khan confirmed.

This will be Misbah's first absence after 34 consecutive Tests for the team. He, in the Christchurch Test, also became the first Pakistani and the third Asian to lead the team in 50 Test matches.

New Zealand beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the first Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday to snap a four-Test losing streak.

Set 105 to win in their second innings, New Zealand reached their target after lunch on the fourth day of the low-scoring match with debutant Jeet Raval finishing on 36 not out.