Sports

Yousuf will return to team: Afridi

Saleem Khaliq May 25, 2010

KARACHI: The chances of Pakistan cricket’s former captain Mohammad Yousuf coming out of retirement and rejoining international cricket went up after the team’s current captain, Shahid Afridi, convinced him to reconsider his decision through his close friends.

Talking exclusively to the Daily Express, Afridi confirmed that he has “almost” convinced the star batsman to come out of retirement and that he has no issues with him being part of the team. It is worth mentioning that Afridi and Yousuf had a verbal spat when the latter dropped Shoaib Malik from the playing eleven in the last ODI of Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia.

Furthermore, Afridi – after being chosen as Test captain over Salman Butt by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) – also personally invited Yousuf and former captain Younus Khan to rejoin the side, as well as pushed the PCB for Shoaib Malik’s inclusion in the recently announced probables list.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 26th, 2010.

COMMENTS (24)

NABEEL | 13 years ago | Reply ASSALAM ALAI KUM... GREAT NEWSSS.....MY FAV PLAYER MOHAMMAED YOUSUF RETURNING.....MAY ALLAH GIVE HIM STRENTH...AMIN.. HE WIL SCORE 200++++ ..ALL PEOPLE PRAY FOR HIM..HE IS WORLD CLASS.....BYEE TC

A.S. Zara | 13 years ago | Reply Shaib Malik,Rana Naveed and Imran Farhat all the other trouble makers be better written off. They are troubvle makers.

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Farigh | 13 years ago | Reply Yousuf come back! the suggestions to kick out such a superb batsman with fresh faces are ridiculous. Its not modelling competition guyz where you need fresh faces every few months. This guy has an average of 42.39 runs..

arshad tayebaly | 13 years ago | Reply afridi should not waste time on moulana yousuf..... get some fresh faces now !!!

Nabeel | Create Your First Website | 13 years ago | Reply Yousuf can still show his strength in cricket. C'mon guys, he is not past his prime. He still has it in him!

Zab786 | 13 years ago | Reply There is no doubt Mohammad Yousaf is extra ordinary test and one day player we need to come back again in team and show his class in english tour and upcomming worldcup 2011.

Fahad | 13 years ago | Reply Yousuf is a lost cause. We should be looking for the future. If Yousuf comes back it will be a stop gap solution. Not worth it.

Fahad | 13 years ago | Reply Yousuf is a lost cause now, he is past his prime. We should be looking at the future rather than the past.

amin | 13 years ago | Reply Yousuf should not take back his words but as Afridi said if the country which has given you so much needs you it is a moral duty to pay back but Yousuf should follow the example of Waseem Ikram who after a revolt against him didn't quit and gave his best to Pakistan . I think Muhammad Yousuf should leave all the bitterness of Austalia trip behind and give a seplendid display against Australia and then end his carear when he is still at his best

MAZHAR | 13 years ago | Reply We hope Mohammad Yousuf will join team.

Muhammad Irfan | 13 years ago | Reply I am really very happy by hearing this news. this is very very very good decision by PCB. M Yousaf is really an asset for Pak Cricket. He is record holder player and can play for pakistan for 3 years but keep Soaib Malik away from cricket. He is the real distrber of Pak Cricket.

ahsan | 13 years ago | Reply I think the players like muhammad yusaf are a always matchless and rare...really he is a classic player...allegence ,sty;e and timing are the charactristics of this professional batting.Apart this ,he is a nice person who dont have political support...on contrary shoib malik is a termite and snake in the grass for pakistan cricket who has political support too.. i think afridi and other staff shud try to keep him away 4m team..

Ray | 13 years ago | Reply I agree Pakistan doesn't have players of Yousuf and Younis caliber in the team now. Yousuf was our best batsman in Australia but he got out unnecessarily a few times. England are expecting Pakistan tour to be a cake walk and I applaud Afridi for being smart and is trying to bring 4 crucial pieces back in the team. I have seen Malik play in the last t20 and another match in UAE, he was excellent. Let us put the past behind and put our best team against Australia and England and make them work for winning the tests and other matches. England has almost as good a bowling and batting team as when we had Ws and Miandad in the team. Now our bowling and batting are both brittle. Afridi knows all this and he is doing what he must to be competitive.

Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply We are missing you M.Yousuf.... plz come back

muhammad ilyas | 13 years ago | Reply congratulation BOOM BOOM Afridi! it is very great news that afridi is calling the star batsman Muhammad yousaf back to the team.

Muhammad Daniyal Rashid | 13 years ago | Reply Definitely one of the most sensible moves Afridi has ever made in his life, Yousuf is one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever prdouced, and he still is one if the top batsmen in the world, his presence in the team will appreciate Pakistan's chances in winning and saving test matches in the long tour of England, Yousuf absence will make the opponents more stronger and his presence will make the opponents more weaker, i hope he come back to Pakistan Team and once again make Pakistan Team proud......... INSHALLAH :) LOVE YOUSUF BHAI THE MOST... ALLAH BLESS YOU...... :) PAKISTAN ZINDABAD :)

Hamza Baloch | 13 years ago | Reply Great work... this called capitancy that you thing for the team even you are not in ground:) Uzair ... not only shoib malik, but also try to keep waseem bari away from PCB... than we hope for a good team.

Muhammad Abdullah | 13 years ago | Reply Excellent! Pak cricket is finally getting back on track.

Kashif Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Afridi has expressed his greatness by calling all seniors in his team, now it's a turn of players to pay back to Afridi as playing with ultra sencerity in national team, not for captain but for team, nation and themselve.

Patriot | 13 years ago | Reply I am afraid they may again take oath on Quran to remove afridi this time....`cause Yousuf is back!

Abdul jabbar | 13 years ago | Reply Mohammad yousuf is great batsman and it is good effort on part of captain to convince him. We hope Mohammad Yousuf will join team.

Dr. Naveed Haider | 13 years ago | Reply Great move by Afridi. And we should welcome this decision. Yousuf's inclusion is necessary as Pakistan has never produced a batsman of Mohammad Yousuf's class, style and elegance. His technique is flawless and his batting is treat to watch.

uzair | 13 years ago | Reply i think that afridi should try to keep the shoaib malik away from the team because he is the real culprit of all the bad the things in the team.

Dr. Asad Sadick, Germany | 13 years ago | Reply I think a great decision at last. Afridi as captain will gel the players and has the killer instinct of Imran. Also welcome is the effort to bring back Younis, Shoaib Malik and Yousaf in the side. They all owe Shahid a good call. Shoaib Akhtar is a maverick and will stay one. Will not be a good decision if he is included. Good luck Pakistan!

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