Ex-players blast PCB for dumping Younis Khan for England tour

Former Pakistani cricketers have expressed anger over former captain Younis Khan’s exclusion from the 17-man Test squad bound for England.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given no reason for excluding 33-year-old Younis despite his indefinite ban for disciplinary offences having being overturned.

Former chief selector Iqbal Qasim said Younis was being punished for challenging his indefinite ban.

“I feel Younis has been victimized. He fought his case and was outspoken against the treatment and was dropped,” The News quoted Qasim, as saying.

Former batsman Basit Ali slammed the move, and said: “It’s the height of injustice to Younis.” 

Meanwhile, former captain Rashid Latif said that, along with Younis, fast bowler Mohammad Sami and batsmen Faisal Iqbal and Khurrum Manzoor also deserved a place in the squad.

“I respect the selection, but four players — Younis, Sami, Iqbal and Manzoor — deserved places in the team,” Latif said.

Pakistan will play two T20 internationals and a couple of Test matches against Australia, and would then face the hosts England in four Tests, two T20 and five one-day games during the three-month long tour which will end on September 22.

Squad: (Twenty20): Shahid Afridi (capt), Salman Butt (vice capt), Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Amir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Rehman, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam

Squad: (Tests): Shahid Afridi (capt), Salman Butt (vice capt), Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Azhar Ali, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Tanveer Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Danish Kaneria.