Latif fears demoting Younus will set bad example
Youngsters won’t take Test cricket seriously, says former captain.
Rashid Latif opines that Younus Khan’s demotion to B category was unacceptable. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Former captain Rashid Latif revealed that he and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Game Development Haroon Rasheed had agreed on giving Younus Khan an A category contract before Latif decided against taking up the post of chief selector.
The Express Tribune has received the document containing the names of the cricketers and their respective categories that was sent by Rasheed to Latif, who approved it.
According to the list, the A category players were Misbahul Haq, Younus Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Junaid Khan. Meanwhile, in the new contracts designed by current chief selector Moin Khan, Zakir Khan and Mohammad Akram, Younus has been demoted to B category. “The PCB’s treatment of Younus will discourage players to take Test and first-class cricket seriously,” said Latif. “They will only concentrate on one-dayers and T20Is, which will be disastrous.”
Additionally, the B category had only Umar Gul and Ahmed Shahzad, whereas the new one comprises Younus, Shehzad, Umar Akmal and Gul.
Similarly, the C category players approved by Latif were Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Bilawal Bhatti, Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Adnan Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Talha, Abdur Rehman, Nasir Jamshed and Anwar Ali.
There was no D category or stipends in the previous understanding, and only 22 players were to be awarded contracts, but the new contracts see the numbers soar to 31 with the D category as well.
“Younus has won a lot of Test matches by doing well in fourth innings, which is very difficult. I failed to understand why the PCB demoted him when it was clearly agreed with Rasheed that he will be in A category,” concluded Latif.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2014.
Former captain Rashid Latif revealed that he and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Game Development Haroon Rasheed had agreed on giving Younus Khan an A category contract before Latif decided against taking up the post of chief selector.
The Express Tribune has received the document containing the names of the cricketers and their respective categories that was sent by Rasheed to Latif, who approved it.
According to the list, the A category players were Misbahul Haq, Younus Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Junaid Khan. Meanwhile, in the new contracts designed by current chief selector Moin Khan, Zakir Khan and Mohammad Akram, Younus has been demoted to B category. “The PCB’s treatment of Younus will discourage players to take Test and first-class cricket seriously,” said Latif. “They will only concentrate on one-dayers and T20Is, which will be disastrous.”
Additionally, the B category had only Umar Gul and Ahmed Shahzad, whereas the new one comprises Younus, Shehzad, Umar Akmal and Gul.
Similarly, the C category players approved by Latif were Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Bilawal Bhatti, Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Adnan Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Talha, Abdur Rehman, Nasir Jamshed and Anwar Ali.
There was no D category or stipends in the previous understanding, and only 22 players were to be awarded contracts, but the new contracts see the numbers soar to 31 with the D category as well.
“Younus has won a lot of Test matches by doing well in fourth innings, which is very difficult. I failed to understand why the PCB demoted him when it was clearly agreed with Rasheed that he will be in A category,” concluded Latif.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2014.