DAWN.COM

Today's Paper | April 30, 2024

Published 20 Jun, 2012 11:57am

‘Younis important for Tests, ODI future to be discussed’

KARACHI: Chairman of the national cricket selection committee Iqbal Qasim has indicated that Younis Khan’s future in one-day cricket will be discussed once the player returns from the tour of Sri Lanka.

Younis aggregated 10 runs in the three ODI matches he played in the recently-concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka and was consequently dropped from the last ODI, which Pakistan lost by 44 runs and gave the hosts a 3-1 series win.

“I don’t know what he (Younis) has in mind regarding 50-over cricket. Let the tour of Sri Lanka finish and then we will definitely discuss his future plans with him,” Qasim told cricket website Pakpassion.net.

The former Pakistan captain came under heavy criticism for his inability to push the scoring rate and anchor the middle part of his team’s innings.

Younis’s form in ODIs has remained indifferent in recent series, as he has scored only three fifties in his last 11 ODI innings, over an 18-month period while his last ODI century came almost four years ago.

While Qasim did not indicate a clear policy on the future selection of the 37-year-old, he said “there are some decisions that an individual has to make himself.”

Hailing Younis’s contribution to Pakistan over the years, Qasim admitted that experience is invaluable in the middle but if the player is not able to translate that into runs for the team, it puts pressure on the other batsmen.

Even if the 245-ODI veteran is dropped from the ODI squad, Qasim underlined his importance to the Test squad.

“I’m sure we will have an amicable chat about his future, as Pakistan needs him for Test cricket for the future,” Qasim said.

Read Comments

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar appointed deputy prime minister Next Story