Aamir Qureshi—AFP
PCB chairman says batsman’s tirade shows he is frustrated with his poor performance in one-day format.
Veteran batsman Younis Khan is facing disciplinary action for lashing out when it became clear he was to be dropped for next month’s one-day series in Zimbabwe.
The 37-year-old hit out at selectors a day before the squad was announced last week—without his name included. “If I am not selected the one-day team will not be able to stand up,” Khan said in a television interview.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said the batsman, who has averaged a dismal 18.32 runs in 29 one-day matches in the last three years, was clearly frustrated. “I respect him a lot and we will sit with him and discuss it with him but we will consider taking action,” he said. “There are two actions, extreme or moderate, but we have to find a position in between. Something should be done.”
It is the third series in a row for which the selectors have overlooked Khan, who scored just 43 runs in three World Cup matches in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. But he has been in fine Test form, rolling back the years to hit a sublime 171-not out as Pakistan chased an improbable 377 runs to beat Sri Lanka in Pallekele in July.
He was further piqued over an event on Saturday to launch the logo for the new Twenty Pakistan Super League. “I was not invited and that made it easy for me to decide whether to play the PSL or not,” he retorted on Saturday night.
But the PCB’s Khan said all players including Younis Khan were invited. “If we had not invited Younis and other greats I would have been apologizing,” said Khan. “Younis saying he was not invited is factually not correct.”