Selection of Younis Khan: A dilemma for PCB’s selectors
Younis Khan, who is one of the most prolific batsmen in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 cricket, seems to be unjustly being kept out of the team without any solid reason. Although, Younis is available for selection and the captain and selectors also want him but still he is not
in the team.
It is believed that unless Younis gets approval from PCB’s boss, he cannot get into the national side. It appears that if Younis would have followed an easy path by issuing an apology following the ban imposed on him, he would have been in the team by now.
However, it now looks as if the public pressure to bring Younis back into the team is finally taking its toll on PCB as it has decided to resolve its issues with Younis. As a matter of fact, PCB has sent a notice to him few days back asking the former Pakistan
captain to contact the board.
According to PCB, it is the next step after Younis' appeal against the ban was referred back to the board. Younis has been out of the team since July, last year. It is yet not clear whether Younis has received any such notice. Talking to reporters, Younis
Khan’s lawyer, Ahmed Qayyum said, “As far as we are aware, nothing has been received by Younis or me.”
Nevertheless, Younis will be present in Lahore for some time to play a domestic Twenty20 tournament being hosted at the Gaddafi Stadium. PCB’s intention is still not clear that whether it wants to bring Younis back into the side or not. According to Qayyum,
if Younis doesn't contact the board, he is likely to be served with a fresh show-cause notice which will repeat the whole process and also render it meaningless because Younis’ previous appeal had been successful.
Younis was among the 7 players who were punished following Pakistan team's disastrous tour of Australia, where they had lost every single match in all three formats. PCB had then decided to rule out Younis for indefinite period, although, officials had insisted
at that time that this decision wasn't equivalent to a ban. The board failed to give any clear-cut reasons behind this punishment. They only provided with vague reference to the team's ‘in-fighting’ and general ‘indiscipline’.
Additionally, the fact that Younis twice resigned from the captaincy in the months leading up to the tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 also back-fired as his actions earned him the board’s displeasure. After the imposition of punishment, Younis decided to appeal to the
one-man tribunal comprising of retired judge http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Irfan-c64444 Qadir.
On the other hand, Shoaib Malik, the Akmal brothers and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 had their fines reduced after they tactically apologised from the board whereas Mohammad Yousuf announced his retirement which saved him from all the hustle. Later, during the England
tour, Yousuf was called back and his punishment was waived off.
As far as Younis is concerned, the tribunal referred him back to the board. Younis has until now refused to apologise as he insists that he has done nothing which requires an apology. Instead, he wants his name cleared from all the offences for which he
was charged. And this seems to be the bone of contention between former Pakistan captain and PCB’s chairman.
The somewhat egoistic http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128 has openly refused to clear Younis for selection despite insistence from the selectors and coaches. The team selectors have asked more than once to get Younis back into the team but their demand has been despotically set aside
by Butt. The chairman has even publicly expressed his unhappiness over the "inappropriate statements" Younis’ lawyer has made since the appeal.
Butt has been under immense pressure these days from ex-players, selectors and the National Assembly's standing committee on sports to bring Younis back into the team. The standing committee has publicly repudiated Butt’s management style and his decisions,
which they believe have done tremendous damage to Pakistan cricket. But, it seems that PCB’s chairman is reluctant to put an ear to saner voices and his stubbornness will certainly push Pakistan’s withering cricket further into turmoil.
(The above is writer's own independent opinion)
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