LAHORE: The subject of Misbah-ul-Haq’s participation in the forthcoming New Zealand Test series took another twist on Friday as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt and chief selector Iqbal Qasim agreed that the fate of the middle-order batsman would be decided after witnessing the team’s show in the first Test match.

Mohammad Yousuf, appointed captain for the three-match Test series against the Kiwis in place of Younis, who opted for a break after the New Zealand ODI series in the UAE, wanted Misbah as a replacement for Younis.

However, Yousuf’s request could not get weight as the chief selector was not ready to send Misbah to New Zealand.

Sources, however, said at first the PCB had accepted Yousuf’s call but after facing opposition from Iqbal the matter was delayed till arrival of the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt from England.

On Thursday, Ijaz contacted Iqbal and asked to meet him in Lahore over the issue. Both decided in the meeting on Friday that Misbah may be sent to New Zealand for the second Test, after witnessing the team’s performance in the opening Test.

‘Seventeen players are [already] in New Zealand. We want to first watch their performance in the opening Test and then we’ll consider the option whether to send Misbah,’ Iqbal told Dawn after meeting Ijaz.

He further said the PCB chairman was of the view that the performance of the players should be viewed before taking a decision to send Misbah.

Misbah, 35, was not named in any of the three squads — ODI, Twenty20 and Test — announced for the New Zealand series.

Somewhat dejected, Misbah preferred to join Bangladesh league, leaving the remaining matches of the domestic first-class competition — Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, in which he was leading Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).

Sources said Misbah’s decision to go to Bangladesh annoyed the chief selector who reckoned the batsman did not give importance to domestic cricket.

Iqbal is of the view that an impressive performance in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy could give Misbah, who has featured in 15 Tests and 56 ODIs for Pakistan, a place in the upcoming series against Australia, which will start soon after the end of the New Zealand series.

The chief selector said the series against New Zealand was Pakistan’s home series, but for Australia, he added, the number of players should be reduced to 15.

After the end of the New Zealand series the selectors will decide as to who would return home and who would continue the tour to Australia, Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, the selection committee chief said a list of 30 players had been given to the PCB from which the final squad would be selected for next year’s Junior World Cup in New Zealand.

Iqbal said the over-age factor was a big problem in selecting the final squad.