KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt has denied reports that he had ruled out the possibility of Shoaib Akhtar’s return to the national team and said the injury-plagued pacer will have to prove his worth in domestic tournaments to be considered for a place.

‘It is not fair that such statements are attributed to me. I never said anything like this because how can a chairman of the board pass such remarks against a player who is our centrally contracted and wants to play for Pakistan again,’ he said. ‘Like any other player, Shoaib must play at the domestic level and prove his fitness and form to win a place in the national team.’

During his recent England visit, Ijaz was quoted by the media as saying that he did not see controversial pacer playing for Pakistan again after his knee surgery and liposuction.
Meanwhile, the PCB chairman also confirmed that during the London visit, regular captain Younis Khan has

conveyed his intention to tour Australia next month. ‘Younis has conveyed to me he intends to resume playing in Australia. But I have told him he has to come back and play in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy matches to regain his form,’ he said. ‘I am sure he will comeback and score plenty of runs again,’ he said.

The PCB chief said he had a positive discussion with Younis and felt the senior player had set a fine example by withdrawing from the New Zealand tour due to his poor form. ‘He has set a healthy precedent and he has told he will start playing in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy matches after Eid,’ he added.

Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim also said that Younis will have score runs in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy to be considered for Australia tour.

‘Whether he will captain the team in Australia is not our concern that is for the board to decide, but he will have to get his form back,’ he added.—Agencies