Lahore, December 05: Senior batsman Younis Khan’s absence from the domestic Quaid-i-Azam Trophy has thrown a serious doubt over his availability for Pakistan’s tour of Australia.
Regular national captain Younis, opted out of Pakistan’s ongoing tour of New Zealand but was supposed to appear for his team Habib Bank in their ninth round Quaid Trophy match in Islamabad, but he failed to show up on Thursday.
His absence in the tournament has left a huge question mark over his future as Pakistan players with critics and fans unsure about his commitment to the team.
As the national selectors closed in on finalising the Test squad for Australia sometime next week, sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said time was running out fast for Younis. ”Unless he clearly lays down his plans whether he wants to tour Australia or not, the selectors also remain in a quandary,” a source in the PCB said.
He further added that since Younis had himself withdrawn from the Test tour of New Zealand owing to poor form, the selectors were keen to have a look at him in the domestic tournament. ”It would be strange if the selectors pick up a player for the Aussie tour who pulled out from a tour because of poor form,” The Dawn quoted a source as saying.
Chief selector Iqbal Qasim however, refused to comment on the issue saying, ”I think the situation will become clear in the next few days when either Younis or myself have a meeting with the Chairman of the board. But so far, Younis has not informed anyone about his plans for the Australian tour,” Iqbal said.
But sources close to Younis said the batsman was himself unsure whether to make the tour of Australia or not.
”He has not had a very good experience as captain after the World Twenty20 victory in June and he is not sure if this is the right time for him to join the team in Australia,” the source said.
——Agencies