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Published 12 Nov, 2013 07:22am

Younis likely to be recalled for SA tour

LAHORE, Nov 11: Seasoned batsman Younis Khan is likely to be recalled in the national ODI squad that will be announced on Tuesday for the forthcoming limited-overs series against South Africa in their backyard.

The series comprising three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals will be played from Nov 20 to 30.

The Pakistan Cricket board (PCB) was to announce the limited-overs squad for the said tour on Monday but it is learnt the announcement was deferred until Tuesday to see the result of the fifth ODI, which was in progress in Sharjah when this report was being filed.

A 16-member squad is expected to be announced for the entire tour.

Younis, 35, who last month featured in the two-Test series against South Africa in the UAE, expressed his dissatisfaction after being axed by the selectors for the ongoing five-match ODI series against A.B. de Villiers’ brigade.

Right-handed Younis made his ODI debut in February 2000 against Sri Lanka at Karachi. Having represented Pakistan in 253 ODIs, Younis has scored 7,014 runs in this format at an average of 31.88, his effort containing six centuries and 48 half-centuries.

As Pakistan batting crumbled again and again — chasing even moderate totals being the team’s major weakness — in the ongoing series which Misbah-ul-Haq and his men lost 1-3 in the fourth ODI, the selectors have decided to strengthen the batting line-up with experience.

To adjust Younis in the playing eleven, it seems, the position of either struggling Umar Amin or under-performing Asad Shafiq is under threat.

It is further learnt that the place of out-of-form left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed is also vulnerable and in his place 24-year-old left-handed batsman Sharjeel Khan from Hyderabad may get a chance. Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz is also likely to lose his place to make way for newcomer Bilawal Bhatti, the 22-year-old right-arm pacer from Muridke.

The PCB expects an earning of $1.5 million from the series in South Africa.

The tour was offered by the Cricket South Africa (CSA) after India curtailed its planned tour to South Africa due to strains between the two cricket boards.

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