Islamabad: Pakistan batsman Younis Khan will quit one-day international cricket after playing against England in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.
The decision has surprised some, as this was Khan's first ODI since the Cricket World Cup in March, and it's the first match in four against England.
File image of Younis Khan. AFP
The 37-year-old temperamental middle-order batsman always insisted he will quit ODIs on his own terms, and often criticised the selectors for dropping him from the 50-over format despite scoring consistently in test matches.
"I am really pleased to announce that today I am retiring from ODI cricket after deliberation with my family, wife, and close friends," Khan said in a statement released hours before the match.
Former Test fast bowler Sikander Bakht said Khan should play the whole series before quitting.
"He has set a wrong precedent, and it is like if you are a big player you can do whatever you want to do," Bakht told Geo Television.
Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan expressed disappointment at the decision of senior batsman Younis Khan announcing his retirement from one-day internationals just before the start of the first match against England. “I am disappointed at not only his decision to retire from ODIs but also the timing of his decision,” said Khan.
He said it was disappointing that Younis had decided to retire even though he was selected for the entire four-match series against England. “Younis has been doing well and that is why the selectors felt he should be played again in the one-day matches. For me it is surprising he announced his retirement today,” he said.
Chief selector Haroon Rasheed was equally taken aback by the sudden announcement from Younis. “When I went to Sharjah to meet with the team management and I also talked to Younis, he gave me no indication he was planning to retire from ODIs after the first match of the series,” Rasheed was quoted by PTI as saying.
Khan forced the selectors to pick him for the ODI series after becoming Pakistan's highest test scorer with 9,116 runs from 104 matches during the 2-0 victory against England this month.
He has played 264 ODIs since 2000, and scored 7,240 runs, sixth best in Pakistan history, with seven centuries and 48 half centuries.
He was captain in 21 ODIs from 2005-09 but had a win-loss record of only 8-13.
He led Pakistan to victory in the World Twenty20 in 2009, and quit that format a year later.
"During my 15-year-long association with ODI cricket, I always tried my best to play positive cricket for my team both as captain and as a player," Khan said.
"I hope that our young players will exhibit the same passion with which I played my game, with strict adherence to discipline and fitness."
No comments:
Post a Comment