Malik to miss rest of Test

Pakistan opener Shoaib Malik was today relieved of his duty in the second cricket Test to enable him to be at the bedside of his ailing father. Malik, who had made 19 in Pakistan's first innings left for Sialkot late on Sunday. "It is too early to say when he would rejoin the team," said Asad Mustafa, the team co-ordinator, speaking to PTI.

Malik's father has been suffering from Hepatitis C for the last few months but today, the doctors gave up all hope and advised the cricketer's family to call him as soon as possible. "The entire team feels sorry for Malik and are praying for his father's recovery. As Shoaib is very close to his father, we all understand what he is going through," said Mustafa.

Malik is the second cricketer who would miss out on the remainder of this match after Inzamam-ul-Haq, the captain, was also ruled out of the Test with a back injury. Last year, before the third test against England, Younis Khan had to miss the game because of his elder brother's death in the Ukraine.