Younis announces retirement from one-day cricket

[Devil Soul]

Younis announces retirement from one-day cricket
AGENCIES | DAWN SPORT — UPDATED 3 MINUTES AGO

Younis has had a see-saw one-day career of 264 matches, having scored only two hundreds in the last seven years. — AFP/File
ABU DHABI: Pakistan's star batsman Younis Khan on Wednesday announced retirement from one-day cricket, making the today's first one-day international against England as his last international outing in a limited-over match.

“Today I am retiring from ODI cricket after deliberation with my family, wife, and close friends,” Younis said in a statement. He made the announcement hours before the start of the England-Pakistan encounter at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Younis, a record breaker for Pakistan in Tests, was a surprise inclusion in the ODI squad. The 37-year-old batsman was discarded from the one-day team after a poor tour of New Zealand and 2015 World Cup in April, where he managed just 77 runs in six matches.

But chief selector Haroon Rasheed argued that Pakistan would need his batting experience against England. “Obviously his current Test form is good and we need a senior batsman to stabilise our middle order batting,” he said.

Pakistan's ODI captain Azhar Ali had earlier told media that despite Younis's poor form in the one-dayers, he hoped the senior batsman would come good. “Younis is a legend so we hope that he contributes and helps us win,” he said.

Younis has had a see-saw one-day career, having scored only two hundreds in the last seven years, a record that has lead head coach Waqar Younis and support staff to reportedly resisted selecting him.

Today's game will be Younis's 265th ODI, nearly 16 years after making his debut against Sri Lanka in Karachi in February 2000. Going into his last match, Younis has scored 7,240 runs with seven hundreds and 48 half-centuries in one dayers.

 

[yasir18]

He is a great batsman and could be the first Pakistani to score 10,000 runs in test cricket.

 

[silent hawk]

Strange timings

 

[Raja.Pakistani]

Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has criticised the decision ofYounis Khan to announce his retirement from one-day internationals, only one match into his recall to the team.



Younis, 37, made the shock announcement on the morning of the first ODI against England at Abu Dhabi, having previously been outspoken in his criticism of the selectors for dropping him in the wake of Pakistan's World Cup exit in March.



He was dismissed for 9 in his 265th and final appearance during Pakistan's run-chase at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, bringing to an end a 15-year career in the format that had begun against Sri Lanka at Karachi in March 2000.



However, Shaharyar was unimpressed by Younis's actions. "I am disappointed at not only his decision to retire from ODIs but also the timing of his decision," he told NDTV.



"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."



Shaharyar did, however, confirm that the PCB would arrange a suitable send-off for a man who has scored 7249 runs in the format at 31.24, with seven centuries, albeit just the one since 2008.



Haroon Rashid, Pakistan's chief selector, also expressed his confusion at Younis's actions.



"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 said.



"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."



"The team will remain balanced but at no stage did Younis convey any desire to us he wanted to retire," he added.



Mohsin Khan, the former coach, speculated that Waqar Younis's reluctance to have Younis back in the one-day squad may have played its part.

"It makes no sense that after being picked for the full series in the one-day squad after such a big gap he should decide to retire after playing the first match. Definitely I think something has happened in the last 48 or 24 hours to have upset Younis who is very sensitive and a self-respecting individual," Mohsin told Geo Super channel.

"I think the job of the captain, manager and coach is to not only motivate the players but also make them feel comfortable and wanted. I think in Younis's case this didn't happen and no one tried to speak to him to find out his feelings."

PCB chairman criticises Younis retirement | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[LeslieEngel]

He is a great player. He is the one and only highest run scorer for Pakistan in Test Cricket