KARACHI: Pakistan’s dashing all-rounder and vice-captain Shahid Afridi on Friday said Younis Khan is the ideal man to lead Pakistan cricket team and there was nothing that he could not sort out with the skipper amicably through dialogue.

Speaking exclusively to Dawn, Afridi looking fit and in high spirits, said: ‘I am fed up of the thousand and one stories taking rounds about me and Younis not getting along or me playing in the hands of a certain lobby, my lust for captaincy, etc. I take this opportunity to clarify once and for all that Younis and I go a long way as friends, almost 15 years, and are mature enough to discuss and sort out any problem under the sun in an amicable way.’

‘We won the World Twenty20 in June this year under Younis’ leadership and there’s no reason why I should not back him for leading the team and the country to more such laurels in the future,’ he said.

Afridi emphasised there was no love lost between the two players despite the recent captaincy row. ‘There was nothing to it really,’ he said while referring to the controversy.

‘A mountain was made out of a molehill by some quarters about my meeting with the PCB chief earlier this month which, in fact, centered around the Twenty20 planning and not captaincy,’ he said.

‘But I am quite used to such rumours of discord or leadership difference which surface everytime Pakistan lose a key match or a tournament. I am not unfazed by them anymore.’

Afridi, however, added that if there was any lobby working to dislodge Younis as skipper, he was not aware of it but advised the disgruntled element to sort out their problems, if any, in a mature manner.

‘When so many people with varying temperaments are thrown together for several weeks or months on a tour, things of course cannot always be trouble free,’ he said rather circumspectly.

‘But cricket is through and through a team game, more than any other sports perhaps. I feel the players, the skipper and the team management should accommodate each other on all fronts to make it a success on the field.’
 
In his 13th year of international cricket now, Afridi said the game had taught him to handle things better, both personally and professionally.

‘I have come to realise that no one is bigger than the game and holding grudges will not do anyone any good. At the end of the day, only your performance for the country matters, difference of opinion should not dictate your game, never.’

Looking excited about the forthcoming series against New Zealand, Afridi said he and his teammates were looking to avenge the Champions Trophy semi-final defeat at the hands of the Kiwis.

‘We will not be taking the Kiwis lightly but one thing I can tell you with confidence; we are definitely better prepared for them this time. So bring on the Vettoris, the Bonds, the Kyle Mills. We are ready for you.’

Speaking about his future plans as the Twenty20 skipper, Afridi said he had about 25 or 30 players in mind who could form the nucleus for the next year’s Twenty20 World Cup.

‘I have certain ideas about grooming some of the younger players and building a solid team for the World Twenty20 in 2010,’ he said.