PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has 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 today.
“I am disappointed at not only his decision to retire from ODIs but also the timing of his decision,” Shaharyar said.
He said it was disappointing that Younis had decided to call it a day from ODIs although 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.
Shaharyar said nonetheless the board would give Younis a befitting farewell as he had retired from ODIs.
Chief selector Haroon Rasheed was also perplexed 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,” Haroon told PTI.
The national selectors had in a surprise move recalled Younis for the four ODIs against England after ignoring him for this format since the World Cup early this year in Australia and New Zealand.
Since March 2013 when he played in South Africa, Younis was picked for only 11 ODIs by the selectors putting a big question mark on his future in the 50-over format.
“We picked him keeping in mind that we needed an experienced batsman in the middle order to stabilise the batting. We picked him keeping in mind our future assignments. He never discussed this retirement thing with us,” Haroon said.
The chief selector said that Younis’s retirement would not hit the team as they had already announced a 16-member squad.
“The team will remain balanced but at no stage did Younis convey any desire to us he wanted to retire,” he added.