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November 11, 2009

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Home » Sports » Cricket

Younis draws flak after defeat

Source: Agencies | November 11, 2009, Wednesday | Print Edition

YOUNIS Khan should have sacrificed his spot and allowed Shahid Afridi to lead Pakistan against New Zealand, outspoken former test paceman Sarfraz Nawaz said yesterday in the wake of a limited-overs series loss to the Kiwis.

"He should have dropped himself from the last game and allowed Shahid Afridi to captain the side," Nawaz said.

Pakistan lost the series decider by seven runs in Abu Dhabi on Monday despite young Mohammad Aamer scoring 73 runs - the highest ever individual score by a No. 10 batsman in the history of one-day internationals.

The Pakistani batsmen had earlier struggled to chase down a modest target of 212 runs on a placid wicket at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

They were reeling at 101-9 before Aamer and Saeed Ajmal brought them within sight of a sensational victory with a 103-run last wicket stand.

Younis, whose resignation letter was rejected by the Pakistan Cricket Board last month, was out of form with the bat in all three matches against New Zealand, managing 0, 19 and 3.

But Pakistan preferred to rotate its three other inform batsmen Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Yousuf in the series.

"Other batsmen lose heart when they see their captain not scoring and it was unbelievable that those who were performing with the bat were given undue rest," Nawaz said. "No matter how big a team is, if you start resting your key players there's no way you can win matches.

"If Younis was sincere with Pakistan team, he should have not played in the last match and given Yousuf an opportunity."

Magnificent Aamer

Former chief selector Abdul Qadir said it was hard to believe the way Pakistan batsmen threw their wickets on a pitch where young Aamer scored a magnificent half century.

"If Aamer can score, what had gone wrong with our batsmen?" Qadir asked.

Another former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said that Younis had been given too much control, which is damaging the Pakistan team.

"I fail to understand who has given him this license to kill as he first rested Malik and then Yousuf from the all important last match," Inzamam told the daily Jang newspaper.

"If the captain does not raise the confidence of senior players how can we expect improved performance from the team?"

The newspaper praised young Aamer with a headline "Little star Amer made the superstars bow their heads in shame."

"The body language of (Pakistan) players was as if they were in a lost battlefield," Jang reported.

PCB officials will have to front both houses of Parliament to explain the recent loss to New Zealand.



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