The opening batter was unused in Sri Lanka and has been left out of the Netherlands ODI squad, and will return to England in time for the One-Day Cup clash with Lancashire
Derbyshire will have Shan Masood available ahead of schedule after being left out of Pakistan's white-ball plans.
The 32-year-old's impressive early season form earned him a Test recall for the series in Sri Lanka, but he only featured in a single tour match as he missed the T20 Blast quarter-final defeat to Somerset.
On Wednesday (August 3), he was omitted from the squad to face Netherlands in three one-day internationals and for the Asia Cup, a T20 tournament being staged in the United Arab Emirates starting later this month, much to the bemusement of supporters.
As a result, Masood is free to return to England and participate in the final two months of the county season.
Shan Masood for Derbyshire in 2022
County Championship
Matches 8; Runs 1,074; Highest score 239; Average: 82.61, Hundreds: 3, Fifties: 4
T20 Blast
Matches 14; Runs 547; Highest score 75; Average: 45.58; Strike rate: 139.89 ; Hundreds: 0; Fifties: 5
Masood is due to arrive back on Friday (August 5) and will be available for Derbyshire's third One-Day Cup match against Lancashire on Sunday (August 7).
"Thank you Derbyshire for being so patient and understanding," he wrote on Twitter. "I look forward to coming back and finally playing some cricket."
Not being selected in the Asia Cup group opens the possibility of Masood being available for the remainder of the campaign, including the final three LV= Insurance County Championship matches in September.
Masood's white-ball return for Pakistan has been delayed again (Mahmoud Khaled/Getty Images)
Pakistan are due to host England in seven T20Is between September 20 and October 2 before a tri-series with Bangladesh and New Zealand ahead of the World Cup in Australia, but it now seems likely Masood will not be needed.
His return is a major boost to Derbyshire's ambitions for the remainder of the season. They currently sit fourth in Division Two, hot on the heels of Middlesex and Glamorgan in the race for promotion, with leaders Nottinghamshire destined to take top spot.
Thank you @DerbyshireCCC for being so patient and understanding. I look forward to coming back and finally playing some cricket. https://t.co/wFJCKsTIus
— Shan Masood (@shani_official) August 4, 2022
Despite a heavy defeat to Glamorgan in their opening One-Day Cup match of the season, Mickey Arthur will be hopeful of being competitive after Derbyshire reached the last eight of the T20 Blast. The club have only lost three players, Wayne Madsen, George Scrimshaw and Leus du Plooy, to The Hundred.
Masood has enjoyed a glorious campaign with the bat, hitting 1,074 runs in the County Championship and adding another 547 in the Blast during an encouraging first season of Arthur's premiership.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.