THE Dominica Test was the last time the world of cricket saw the great Younis Khan taking the field for an international match. For most of the cricket fans, however, it would still take some time to completely sink on them the calamity that had befallen them.

On Sunday, the curtains came down on Younis illustrious 17-year-long Test career which has been the most outstanding in Pakistan history where this favourite son served the country with brilliance, patriotism, determination and character.

Before setting his foot on the Caribbean soil for the final time as a Test cricketer in this series, Younis was on the cusp of achieving a momentous landmark. He needed just 23 before the Test series to reach a huge milestone of scoring 10,000 Test runs and duly reached the landmark, fittingly enough, with a sweep in the first Test at Jamaica.

His milestone had been much-awaited. Off was Younis when he beat the short fine-leg fielder to find the fence and was naturally overjoyed. Never before had he celebrated a feat with such exuberance: running towards a Pakistani contingent in the crowd and thumping the golden star on his chest.

Yet again, he had come out to bat after the batsmen above him had fallen cheaply. He took 47 minutes before he opened his account. In the meantime he was treated with the short and length deliveries, but they did not deter him. The maestro had opted for this day to be the one. And when the maestro decides, then no bowler can undo it; like when he resolved to square the three-Test series against India at Bangalore in 2005. If the first innings’ 267 was not enough, he scored an unbeaten 84 in the second to win it for Pakistan.

I recall another incident when Younis partnered Salman Butt in the Kitply Cup final against India in 2008. Coming to the crease without any runs to his name in the series, Younis inspired Pakistan to a 25-run win over the arch-rivals and bagged the Man-of-the-Match trophy. In the grinding Mirpur heat, Younis sweated his way to a 99-ball 108 alongside Butt, who had scored 129 before muscle spasm curtailed his stay to 136 balls at the crease. But ask Butt about it today and he would shed light on a gazillion things he learned from Younis in that innings.

Despite being unable to post thumping scores during the West Indies series, Younis starred by grabbing the most difficult of the catches coming his way. He plucked a whopping ten equalling the record for most catches in a Test series. At times, it seemed that he defied gravity with his superhero like acrobatics to pocket unbelievable catches at the ripe age 39.

Younis invariably gave his all to his team, and the country of course. Once in the field, he was the best guy a team and a captain could ask for, contributing in one way or the other.

A role model for one and all, Younis wanted to be remembered as one as he told reporters in a press conference while announcing his retirement.

Younger player such as Fawad Alam and Shan Masood grew in stature and came of age when they played alongside Younis in matches.

When the veteran right-hander batted with Fawad Alam on his Test debut, the youngster scored a fantastic 168 and immediately credited his innings to Younis’ guidance and help. “It was Younis bhai after God behind my knock,” Alam told the writer in an interview last year.

“When I scored my maiden hundred, Younis bhai told me that I will give you ‘something’ when you walk out. After the end of the evening session on the second day when we came off and I was sitting in the pavilion, he threw that ‘something’ at me. It was a tape-ball on which he had written ‘Fawad Alam Debut Century’.

Similarly, when Shan Masood scored the only century of his Test career in Sri Lanka while batting in trying circumstances, Younis was his guiding light as both won a dramatic Test for Pakistan.

In an interview with Sky Sports, AB De Villiers, one of the most successful limited-overs batsman, revealed that he had been following Younis to polish his sweeping skills.

I am not very sure if it has really occurred to fans that this is the last they have seen of Younis Khan? The last of those full-stretched sweeps, the last of those massive sixes over deep long-on, the last of those amazing catches in the slip cordon.

Younis appeared on the scene, won our hearts, and has left the scene now. Nothing lasts forever of course, but what will last forever will be the legacy of the Mardan-born player.

When Ramiz Raja asked Jeff Dujon to ponder over the players from Pakistan’s current set-up who could be the Younis Khan of the future in a session during the Dominica Test, the former West Indian keeper responded by saying that there could not be one athlete who could do what Younis had done for Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2017