I want to be the first Pakistani to score 10,000 Test runs: Younus Khan

The cricketer credited all his success to his parents

ISLAMABAD: Test Batsman Younus Khan wants to be the first Pakistani to score 10,000 Test runs, saying that his desire is to be a role model for the nation.    

Younus said his vision is to do something remarkable for Pakistan and that is why he wants to be the first Pakistani to score 10,000 Test runs.

"We have many players who have scored 8,000 runs but no one has scored more than that and I want to do that," Pakpassion.net quoted him as saying.

The cricketer, who is regarded as an ambassador of Pakistan cricket by many in the cricketing fraternity, accredited all his success to his family.

"All the credit goes to my parents for the way they have raised me and provided me with whatever I needed and demanded," he said.

Younus said he was motivated to do something for Pakistan and all his performances reflected that desire. He added that under his leadership Pakistan had won the 2009 World T20 Championship; a tournament in which he said he averaged 50+ runs with the bat.

"In 2009 during World T20 Championship we had a very young team without any big names in it but we still managed to win it because of hard work," he said.

The veteran cricketer said that credit should be given where it's due as not getting due appreciation for performances is extremely demotivating.

Younus also spoke about the tragedies which had happened in his family, revealing that all the deaths in his family had occurred while he had been away on tours.

"My very young nephew died in 2014 when I was in Sri Lanka and I had to return to Pakistan after representing Pakistan in only one ODI match and afterwards I was dropped from the ODI series against Australia. That was very disheartening as I wanted to end my ODI career on a high as I did my T20I career," he said.

However, in retrospect Younus said that being dropped from the ODI series against Australia had been a blessing in disguise for him as it had motivated him to score big against Australia in Test matches.

"I have always been grateful to Almighty God who has given me strength and this life," he said.

Younus also spoke about former coach Bob Woolmer with whom he was very close. Younus recalled him fondly and said that Woolmer was like a father to him.

"He was my Coach during 2003 to 2007 period and his death was a tragic incident not only for me but also for Pakistan Cricket," he said.