Cape Town – Hashim Amla will leave the Proteas squad on Saturday to be home in time for the birth of his second child.
The star batsman, who scored a century as the Proteas crashed to a seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the first Test which ended on Thursday, will leave Dubai on Saturday and is expected to return by the very latest a day before the second Test starts next week.
Amla’s departure was always on the cards and the team management always knew that their the batsman was going to be with his wife, Sumayya, who is due to give birth this weekend.
Dr Mohammed Moosajee, the team manager, confirmed that Amla would leave the squad and that the plan was to have him back by the very latest on Tuesday.
There is a possibility that Amla might not return in time for the second Test, which begins in Dubai on Wednesday. If his wife does not give birth by Tuesday, Amla will remain in Durban.
This will be Amla’s second child – his first was a son, who is close to two years old.
The 30-year-old Amla has also been named in theOne-Day and Twenty20 squads to play Pakistan. – Sports Staff
The Argus