Younis says No No

[Luton Bad Boy]

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi

Younis pulls out of Abu Dhabi one-day tour

Cricinfo staff

April 23, 2007

Younis Khan has confirmed his unavailability for Pakistan's forthcoming series in Abu Dhabi against Sri Lanka.

Younis was not named in the list of probables announced by Pakistan selectors yesterday for the series, though officials had refused to rule out his participation. But Salahuddin Ahmed, Pakistan's new chief selector, confirmed that Younis had pronounced himself unavailable. "He has informed me today that he is not available for this particular ODI series," Ahmed told Cricinfo. "He has county commitments with Yorkshire and has told the board officially as well that he would not like to be considered for this series."

Younis declined the Pakistan captaincy in the immediate aftermath of the World Cup, citing the mental strain that comes with the job. He also suggested publicly that he might retire from ODI cricket altogether, though Ahmed said he was not aware of any such decision yet. "As far as we know, he is only missing this ODI series so far and has not said anything about retirement from this form of the game," he said. Nevertheless, his decision to miss the series is unlikely to dampen the speculation that he will likely quit one-day internationals soon enough.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Danish Kaneria are also high-profile absentees from those who went to the Caribbean and despite good form for their county sides, Ahmed said only that "they were not under consideration for the moment". He didn't rule out a return for either in the future.

A statement from the board added that a few more players may not be able to attend the camp. "As per the Selection Committee, there are a few other players from the 39 names announced who have signed contracts for league cricket in England and may not be able to attend the camp. The situation would be clear by tomorrow evening with regards to their availability and the decision for their replacements would be announced accordingly."

A number of former Under-19 stars have also been picked for the camp, due to be held in Lahore from April 28 to May 4, including wicketkeepers Sarfraz Ahmed and Zulqernain Haider, legspinning allrounder Mansoor Amjad and Fawad Alam. "Our choice of a young captain is forward-looking and the players we have picked for the camp, I believe, reflect that," said Ahmed. "We have great young talent and the players picked have proved themselves at domestic level."

© Cricinfo

Yo Yo saying No No might as well start what he does best at the crease is 'Go-Go'. Thanks for the memories mate, I am sure we can cope without you.

[swazigold]

i don't think we need younis that much for the odi's, he is a good test player, and a very ordinary odi player

[12thMan]

I thought this was about Mohammad Yousuf - nickname Yo Yo or used to be but I still call him Yo Yo. The only thing left to hear from YK is has he decided to retire from ODIs or not

[Nauman]

What a selfish player, no Australian player would ever put county cricket commitments before his team even if it is for couple of dead rubber matches.

[kayanni]

think of the positive - we get to blood another youngster

[Noman]

good news for PK..

[SUPERSAMI]

I think the selectors should make the decision for Yk and retire him from ODIs

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

What a selfish player, no Australian player would ever put county cricket commitments before his team even if it is for couple of dead rubber matches.

Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq, etc pulled out of many team commitments for their county contracts. so, this isn't the first time it has happened.

[TaZ]

think of the positive - we get to blood another youngster


as long as its not your hero Faisal Iqbal..

[12thMan]

What a selfish player, no Australian player would ever put county cricket commitments before his team even if it is for couple of dead rubber matches.
Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq, etc pulled out of many team commitments for their county contracts. so, this isn't the first time it has happened.
even Imran Khan has refused to play in certain weather or pitches in Paksitan

[Lara400]

Ridiculous comments above.

We talk about our batsmen playing on fast, seaming wickets so they get used to green wickets and become better batsmen. So when a Pakistani batsmen fortunate enought to get a county contract perhaps the last bastmen to play for county was Salim Malik (10 years ago maybe) you ridicule him saying he should play in a Mickey Mouse flat wicket 3 match ODI Sereis!!!! that too after his contract was signed!!!

I'm speechless.. are you guys serious??????

[TaZ]

very good....

[NeVerMind]

Ridiculous comments above.

We talk about our batsmen playing on fast, seaming wickets so they get used to green wickets and become better batsmen. So when a Pakistani batsmen fortunate enought to get a county contract perhaps the last bastmen to play for county was Salim Malik (10 years ago maybe) you ridicule him saying he should play in a Mickey Mouse flat wicket 3 match ODI Sereis!!!! that too after his contract was signed!!!

I'm speechless.. are you guys serious??????

Exactly, you hit the nail right on the head. A Pakistani batsman gets selected in what seems like more than a decade ago to play for an esteemed county team like Yorkshire (I remember Tendu being like thier first overseas player or something) and you want him to drop that and play a 3 day ODI tournament in the Middle East???

Next you will be saying that 20:20 cricket should replace test cricket!

[foojam]

Ridiculous comments above.

We talk about our batsmen playing on fast, seaming wickets so they get used to green wickets and become better batsmen. So when a Pakistani batsmen fortunate enought to get a county contract perhaps the last bastmen to play for county was Salim Malik (10 years ago maybe) you ridicule him saying he should play in a Mickey Mouse flat wicket 3 match ODI Sereis!!!! that too after his contract was signed!!!

I'm speechless.. are you guys serious??????

well said lara agree 100%

[kablooee87]

Exactly, you hit the nail right on the head. A Pakistani batsman gets selected in what seems like more than a decade ago to play for an esteemed county team like Yorkshire (I remember Tendu being like thier first overseas player or something) and you want him to drop that and play a 3 day ODI tournament in the Middle East???

Next you will be saying that 20:20 cricket should replace test cricket!
So, if I understand you analogy correctly, you are saying County cricket is far and away more important and at a higher level than and One Day International series.

Younis represents Pakistan. That should be the number 1 priority. No questions asked. I'm astonished that Younis doesn't have a clause in his contract which guarantees him exemption so he can play for Pakistan.

[kablooee87]

I think what's going in is Younis Khan has kinda gotten spooked by the response from the media and the fans and has decided he needs to get away from Pakistan cricket for a while. In keeping with that resolution, he's making some poor choices.

[NeVerMind]

So, if I understand you analogy correctly, you are saying County cricket is far and away more important and at a higher level than and One Day International series.

Younis represents Pakistan. That should be the number 1 priority. No questions asked. I'm astonished that Younis doesn't have a clause in his contract which guarantees him exemption so he can play for Pakistan.

I am saying in the context of things, Younis Khan has just started his county season which according to one Imran Khan, is the best finishing school available (makes a good player even better). Now you want him to drop that, fly away to the Middle East for a 'micky mouse' (as Lara400 put it) ODI tournament that was set-up a month back to make a few quick bucks. And then fly back again to England and try to kick-start his season again??

Why not use it as an opportunity as somebody else put it, to blood a youngster like they do in the friendly football matches.

[kablooee87]

I am saying in the context of things, Younis Khan has just started his county season which according to one Imran Khan, is the best finishing school available (makes a good player even better). Now you want him to drop that, fly away to the Middle East for a 'micky mouse' (as Lara400 put it) ODI tournament that was set-up a month back to make a few quick bucks. And then fly back again to England and try to kick-start his season again??

Why not use it as an opportunity as somebody else put it, to blood a youngster like they do in the friendly football matches.
Even in the context of things, playing for Pakistan far outweighs playing for a county.

Now, I can understand your logic and I don't even disagree with it that much. It's just that it sends the wrong message. This decision comes off as Younis Khan saying "I'm sick of Pakistan cricket, I'm going to skip out for a while."

When players start picking and choosing which games they want to play and which they aren't really up for, you start treading into dangerous waters.

[NeVerMind]

Even in the context of things, playing for Pakistan far outweighs playing for a county.

Now, I can understand your logic and I don't even disagree with it that much. It's just that it sends the wrong message. This decision comes off as Younis Khan saying "I'm sick of Pakistan cricket, I'm going to skip out for a while."

When players start picking and choosing which games they want to play and which they aren't really up for, you start treading into dangerous waters.

I can see you point but this isn't the first time this has happened. As someone else pointed out, Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq, etc pulled out of many team commitments for their county contracts. Maybe the time off away would do Younis Khan good (remember he has a few family tragedies to deal with as well) and playing county cricket can only do him good.

Also, we may just discover a new gem in his place anyway.

[kablooee87]

I can see you point but this isn't the first time this has happened. As someone else pointed out, Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq, etc pulled out of many team commitments for their county contracts. Maybe the time off away would do Younis Khan good (remember he has a few family tragedies to deal with as well) and playing county cricket can only do him good.

Also, we may just discover a new gem in his place anyway.
Yea I think we both kind of see each others point.

But just because it has happened before doesn't make it ok. As far this being good for YK in the long run, although we can't say that for sure, it's probably true.

[PlanetPakistan]

We will definitely miss him, IMO he is our 2nd best ODI batsman.

[kablooee87]

We will definitely miss him, IMO he is our 2nd best ODI batsman.
He's definitely underrated in ODIs He provides exactly the type of stability we require in ODIs.

[Easa]

Younis Khan is often compared to Vaughan in ODI's which I find absurd. Vaughan's batting in ODI's is non-existent, Younis Khan is inconsistent, but he makes runs in tough situations (92 vs SAF, 100 vs England)..

We'll miss him; wrong move by him.

[HAFRIDI]

brilliant!

[iZeeshan]

Awsome. Best thing I have heard.

[Nauman]

Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq, etc pulled out of many team commitments for their county contracts. so, this isn't the first time it has happened.
and they rightly got the stick from the fans at that time, it isn't a question of whether he will benefit more out of county cricket or playing a dead rubber series its commitment to your country, it is his country which has given him the status which enabled him to play for one of the best county teams out there, without that he is nothing. There are players who would give anything to get a chance to play for Pakistan and here is Younis Khan who thinks he is bigger then the team aur nakhre hi nahin khatam hote, if he had talked to the selectors and I am sure they would have told him that we are going to drop you for the series so you can continue to play county cricket that would have been understandable but to deliberately turn your back on the nation that put you in such a high position should not be forgiven. PCB has talked about curtailing player power now is the time, give Younis the ulitimatem, if he doesn't get his act straight kick him out of test team too.

Remember what happened in hockey team recently, hockey board called for the camp last year for some tournament but the big names didnt turn him instead they went over to India and other countries to play league hockey, they were rightly dropped from all squads and are still dropped. People who think they are bigger then their national teams do not deserve to be part of the setup.

If something wrong was done in the past then repeating it doesnt make it any less wrong.

[the true passionist]

He should either make himself available for selection or retire from ODI cricket.

Playing for Pakistan is no joke. All the build up about his guts, character, and no-dummy-captain is melting away.

[swaziboy]

yeah totally agree...
its time "mr dummy captain" called it a day..

he would do the team the world of good..

[INZItheman]

What a selfish player, no Australian player would ever put county cricket commitments before his team even if it is for couple of dead rubber matches.

forget Australia-NO international player from ANY country would ever put counties ahead of international!

[INZItheman]

he is showing his arrogance to the pak public

[Amjid Javed]

Pakistan doesnt need former vice dummy captain.

good ridance to playing him in odis. we dont need him in the team.

[salman24]

Yeah I think he is more needed in tests

[Hash]

Ridiculous comments above.

We talk about our batsmen playing on fast, seaming wickets so they get used to green wickets and become better batsmen. So when a Pakistani batsmen fortunate enought to get a county contract perhaps the last bastmen to play for county was Salim Malik (10 years ago maybe) you ridicule him saying he should play in a Mickey Mouse flat wicket 3 match ODI Sereis!!!! that too after his contract was signed!!!

I'm speechless.. are you guys serious??????


you are absolutely 100% spot on.

[Nauman]

I think some people are missing the point here, had Shoaib Akhtar made this decision I am 100 percent sure the reaction would never have been the same.

[safehands46]

i believe if they have so much attitude about the team not just younis but the rest of the players drop them like boycott was. no player in this team is undroppable. I mean these should be taught some ettiquette.

[Hash]

Nauman, 'some people' are not missing the point. You are missing the point.

Pakistan cricket would benefit more from Younis playing county cricket rather than this mickey mouse exhibition series in Abu Dhabi........

1. It gives us a chance to give someone untested a go.
2. Younis gets to play in some seaming conditions.

In any case, Younis is under contract with Yorkshire. A contract which was signed long before this series was confirmed. It would be wholly unprofessional for Younis to leave. He has done 150% the right thing.

Missing a proper bilateral test and odi series or missing the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy........then it would have been a different issue. Oh and all this bakwaas about 'oh if he had been an Aussie he bla bla bla'....well for a start Aussies don't play in these mickey mouse competitions and secondly I bet if they did, at least half their team wouldn't show up.

[Saj]

Nauman, 'some people' are not missing the point. You are missing the point.

Pakistan cricket would benefit more from Younis playing county cricket rather than this mickey mouse exhibition series in Abu Dhabi........

1. It gives us a chance to give someone untested a go.
2. Younis gets to play in some seaming conditions.

In any case, Younis is under contract with Yorkshire. A contract which was signed long before this series was confirmed. It would be wholly unprofessional for Younis to leave. He has done 150% the right thing.

Missing a proper bilateral test and odi series or missing the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy........then it would have been a different issue. Oh and all this bakwaas about 'oh if he had been an Aussie he bla bla bla'....well for a start Aussies don't play in these mickey mouse competitions and secondly I bet if they did, at least half their team wouldn't show up.

Absolutely spot on Hash. I'd rather see what YK is made of on seaming English pitches in May rather than some obscure tournament in Abu Dhabi. As for Aussies wouldnt do this and that rubbish - well the likes of Gilchrist and Ponting have asked to be "rested" from tournaments in the past - the Chappell/Hadlee series being an example.

[Luton Bad Boy]

And another point everyone is forgetting is that by Yo Yo saying No No will allow our new captain to take his rightful position and bat at number 3. It will give selectors something to think about if Malik performs as we hope he will in his favoured number three position. I see if anything benefit for Pakistan cricket all round for this decision why??

- Younis gets good practice in the seaming conditions of England, April and Early May the pitches have a lot of life in them
- A chance as mentioned by loads of guyz to blood another youngster
- An opportunity for other batsman to stand up and be counted (Hint Hint Butt, Nazir, Hameed, Akmal, Afridi, Razzaq etc etc)

But, one thing we must remember, this maybe our first shot at potential world champions and we should really be at full strength, so any good performances will be magnified much more against the world champions.

[Amjid Javed]

Absolutely spot on Hash. I'd rather see what YK is made of on seaming English pitches in May rather than some obscure tournament in Abu Dhabi. As for Aussies wouldnt do this and that rubbish - well the likes of Gilchrist and Ponting have asked to be "rested" from tournaments in the past - the Chappell/Hadlee series being an example.

Pointing and Gilchrist have earned the right for rest the amount of cricket the two have compared to all of players around the world why shouldnt they. Secondly they opted out for family reasons and to genuinely rest not play county cricket.

Finally its good younis khan is opting out. Maybe we can pick someone who can actually score some runs in ODIS.

[Saj]

If Younis was opting out of the Abu Dhabi series to go sightseeing in Sunderland or shopping in Slough, I'd be as angry as the next man, but the fact remains he is playing cricket in a competitive environment and somewhere where I genuinely believe that will improve his game.

If the player brought into replace him for this series does well and scores heavily, thats great news for Pakistan and gives the selectors a nice headache.

[Amjid Javed]

If the player brought into replace him for this series does well and scores heavily, thats great news for Pakistan and gives the selectors a nice headache.

Firstly new players should be given a chance anyways. Its time PCB got away from picking continual failures. Yk was a flop in world cup and his overall ODI career is pretty average to say the least. If new players score runs theres no headache for selectors at all.

Its a simple choice - player scoring runs V flop?

Its not a difficult choice. Those fans saying younis khan should be dropped etc because inzis retired and we need stability are kidding themselves. Stability is brought through performance not seniority. How can a player guide a youngster etc. when he cant even perform himself to a high standard in ODIS?

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good decision by YK, playing County Cricket will only help him improve as a player and that will benefit Pakistan

[NeVerMind]

Okay so let me see...should we have Younis Khan, one of our senior players improve himself by playing on seaming tracks in county cricket and them impart that knowledge to the youngsters in the Pakistani team prior to real tests against the likes of South Africa and Australia or shall we whisk him off to the Abu Dhabi so he can smash a few boundaries on a flat track, people can cheer a small cameo by Afridi and forget the World Cup ever happened, PCB+ICB can make some bob, sponsors like Pepsi can run their ads between overs on the television broadcast and then all involved can go and shop around the amazing shopping plazas that have been built in the middle of desert...tough decision!

[kablooee87]

Okay so let me see...should we have Younis Khan, one of our senior players improve himself by playing on seaming tracks in county cricket and them impart that knowledge to the youngsters in the Pakistani team prior to real tests against the likes of South Africa and Australia or shall we whisk him off to the Abu Dhabi so he can smash a few boundaries on a flat track, people can cheer a small cameo by Afridi and forget the World Cup ever happened, PCB+ICB can make some bob, sponsors like Pepsi can run their ads between overs on the television broadcast and then all involved can go and shop around the amazing shopping plazas that have been built in the middle of desert...tough decision!
way too Utopian of a view. We don't know his motivations for this decision.

[waqar_ahmad]

What a selfish player, no Australian player would ever put county cricket commitments before his team even if it is for couple of dead rubber matches.

nothing selfish about this. this series was not in the team's schedle and just came up from nowhere.

[12thMan]

this is a good chance to try some new batsman or just players. Yo Yo and Akmal should also rest. This is a useless series where if anyone has interest will be how the new players perform and if there are changes in ICC rankings. I don't expect the full squad for SL either unless the boards leave it to the players if they really want that $9000 for the series (a week long)

[omad]

salam Younis Khan hmmmmmmmmmm tough 1 for the odi selection i dnt think its gnna b dead rubber cuz if sri lanka win the wrld cup and we beat em then were gnna shw progress if nt mayb well have 2 take YK bak if a youngster fauils 2 deliver

[Hooker]

I think we are missing the overall benefit of yk playing county cricket. If he does well it may improve the reputation of pakistani batsmen in the county circuit. Instead of reliance on aussie runmakers maybe another batsman ( not moyo as hes good enough ) will get a chance to polish his game in the uk.

This coming tournament really gives a chance to look at other options. I am convinced yk will emerge an improved player after a season in uk and will learn to play odi cricket effectively.

[Ilyas]

Good decision by Younis Khan to announce that he will not be playing One-Day Exhibition Matches against Sri Lanka on the day he scored 100 in County Cricket One-Day Championship...

[cricket_crazy]

Also, this series was just recently planned so it's likely YK had already told Yorkshire that he would play before the AbuDhabi series was planned

And he would also benefit as a batsman by playing counties therefore a good decision...

[12thMan]

Good decision by Younis Khan to announce that he will not be playing One-Day Exhibition Matches against Sri Lanka on the day he scored 100 in County Cricket One-Day Championship...
I think he said it a week or so ago. That was also the day he said he may retire from ODI and probably the day he said he doesn't want to be the captain. The article was posted here that day

[Nauman]

All those who thought I was missing the point, if Shoaib had made this decision would your reaction be the same, I bet not.

[Hash]

All those who thought I was missing the point, if Shoaib had made this decision would your reaction be the same, I bet not.

If it was a mickey mouse exhibition series then yes it would.

If it was a proper bilateral series then no it wouldn't, as with Younis.

[inane]

I can see the pro's and con's to both sides. I don't like the precedent that it sets but can see some long term benefits to both YK's game and to the Pakistan team.

My biggest problem with the whole thing is .... where the ******* hell is the PCB's PR manager in this whole thing :12: It's not like some of the other recent PR disasters that have been unforeseen, this was obviously discussed at length by YK and the selectors/PCB.

Surely they could of put some positive spin on this rather than let it get to the point where a senior player looks like (and publicly states) he does not want to play for his country.

PCB : We are giving YK this series off so he can improve his game .....
PCB : We are going to give a young player some experience against .....
YK : I am going to work hard during the English summer to improve my ....
YK : Pakistan cricket can only benefit from giving a youngster games against ....

etc.

[NeVerMind]

I can see the pro's and con's to both sides. I don't like the precedent that it sets but can see some long term benefits to both YK's game and to the Pakistan team.

My biggest problem with the whole thing is .... where the ******* hell is the PCB's PR manager in this whole thing :12: It's not like some of the other recent PR disasters that have been unforeseen, this was obviously discussed at length by YK and the selectors/PCB.

Surely they could of put some positive spin on this rather than let it get to the point where a senior player looks like (and publicly states) he does not want to play for his country.

PCB : We are giving YK this series off so he can improve his game .....
PCB : We are going to give a young player some experience against .....
YK : I am going to work hard during the English summer to improve my ....
YK : Pakistan cricket can only benefit from giving a youngster games against ....

etc.


That would be PJ Mir. I think he is too busy following Inzy around and filming him pray on his camera phone!

[Saj]

All those who thought I was missing the point, if Shoaib had made this decision would your reaction be the same, I bet not.

which Shoaib ? Malik or Akhtar, not that it makes any difference?

[Nauman]

Akhtar

[Mutazalzaluzzaman Tarar]

Akhtar

I would be very happy if Akhtar took that decision. in fact, I would encourage him to start skipping ALL Pakistan commitments for county obligations.

I would do the same for Afridi and Razzaq.

[Saj]

Akhtar

I dont think any County would touch Akhtar with a bargepole, so the comparison is irrelevant.

Also I do believe that Akhtar has not played for his country for many months, so if he did opt out, not only would I be upset, it would definitely be a case of him never being allowed to play for Pakistan again.