Veteran Pakistani Batsman Younis Khan will retire from one-day internationals after the end of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, as reported by sources.
This means that after the mega event in Australia and New Zealand, Pakistan will lose 3 of its most experienced players in Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan.
Source close to Younis told PTI that the batsman was desperate to play the World Cup. The source said, “But he has already made up his mind that after the World Cup he will announce his retirement from one-day internationals to give the new and younger players a chance.”
“When the selectors dropped him for the one-dayers against Australia, he forced his way back into the ODI side but decided to put his announcement on hold. But he has mentally prepared himself to only play test cricket after the World Cup,” the source added.
Sources from inside the PCB have been reported as saying “If Younis also retires it means it will pave the way for head coach, Waqar Younis and the cricket board to build a new one-day team under a new captain for which Sohaib Maqsood and Asad Shafiq are front runners.”
Younis Khan has wore the Pakistani colors in 259 ODIs and played 96 test matches for Pakistan. But it would be fair to say that he couldn’t realise his full potential in both the formats. In Tests, where he averages 53.37 along with being the highest century maker for Pakistan, in ODI’s his average of 31.75 reflects his inconsistency. However, if he can help Pakistan win the World Cup for the second time, it would be a fitting end to one of the best batsmen Pakistan has produced.
