Ijaz Butt rules out imminent return of Younis and Yousuf
Imminent return of former captain Younis Khan to the home team has been ruled out by the Chairman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128. The former skipper failed to make the squad for England tour despite his indefinite ban being revoked a month before the selection of the squad. Younis was ruled out of England tour after the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board declined to clear his name, because the player and his lawyer made "inappropriate statements".
"Younis and his lawyer have given inappropriate statements. There is a players' code of conduct in place and we will not spare anyone who violates the code." Butt told reporters after meeting federal sports minister Aijaz Jakhrani on Tuesday.
The statement of PCB’s chief came after the lawyer of Younis complained that the player had been snubbed intentionally from the tour of England. Exclusion of former skipper Younis Khan from the exhaustive England tour was condemned by former cricketers as well. The controversial squad was announced at the end of last month when the Pakistan team was busy in Dambulla with the quadrangular Asia Cup.
The England tour squad controversy got the attention of sports committee of the upper house of parliament last week. As a result the sports committee of senate summoned selection committee along with the officials of Pakistan Cricket Board to “justify over the injustice in selection".
Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt met the federal sports minister Aijaz Jakhrani on Tuesday where he shielded the board’s decision of leaving Younis behind. He alleged Younis and his lawyer of breaching the code of conduct in successive written appeals. He said that no player is allowed violate the code of conduct so Younis is not an exception to be relieved.
Younis Khan on the other hand said that he had no argument with the PCB. He was talking to the media after finishing his county season in England.
"I am available to play for Pakistan whenever required. I have no fight with the PCB nor can I think of it. I am a known player because of Pakistan and the PCB," said Younis while talking to a Pakistani television channel in England.
Younis has not donned whites since the Lahore Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
Six other cricketers were also banned and fined including, former skippers Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, Rana Naved, and the Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar.
However, an arbitrator later revoked the bans on Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan and halved the fines of other players. Appeal of Rana Naved is still pending, while Mohammad Yousuf did not appeal rather announced his retirement from international cricket in protest.
PCB chief also ruled out the comeback of Mohammad Yousuf to the national team in the near future.
"Yousuf has announced his retirement so he is also not available," said Butt.
The experienced test batsman, on the other hand, has reportedly hinted at a comeback in the test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 to be played in United Arab Emirates (UAE), October this year.
The Pakistan team under Afridi’s leadership is currently busy in England where they have whitewashed the World Champions in T20 series and are gearing up for the test series that will start from 13th of this month in Lord’s. Afridi’s men will also face the hosts in four Tests, five ODIs and two T20s.
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