After initially declining the players’ request for allowing their families to stay in England till the third Test, which starts in Edgbaston from next Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan has taken a u-turn on the issue and has granted them the permission to stay with their families until the conclusion of the third Test.

“The PCB Chairman has now granted permission to the players that their wives and children can stay with them on the tour till third Test although the initial agreement was that the families would leave the team hotel after the second Test,” one source told Press Trust of India. The players led by a captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, came up with the new demand after Pakistan had won the first Test at Lord’s.

“Khan basically changed his decision as he didn’t want to upset the players before the third Test which could have a bearing on the team performances,” the source said.

Earlier, the PCB had made it clear before the series itself that the players’ families can stay in England until the second Test only so that the players can solely focus on cricket. However, some of the players requested the board to allow them to have their wives and children with them until the conclusion of the third Test. Not only that, the players also demanded the board to pay for the travelling and boarding-lodging of their families.

However, the source revealed that the board has decided to pay them only 50 percent of their expenses. According to the source, the wives and children will move out of the team hotel after the third Test but can remain in England at their own personal expense.