Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

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Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia seriesBy Dawn.com
Updated about an hour ago

LAHORE: On Wednesday, Pakistan announced the squads for the upcoming ODI and T20 cricket series with Australia.The Pakistan-Australia series, comprising one T20 and three ODI matches, is scheduled to kick off on October 5 in the United Arab Emirates.
Veteran batsman Younis Khan failed to find a place in the ODI team, announced by chief selector Moin Khan at a press conference in Lahore.
The squads were initially going to be announced yesterday but had to be postponed for a day in view of the disagreement over the veteran batsman’s inclusion in the ODI squad.
Younis, 36, was recalled to the side for the August ODI series in Sri Lanka, but as bad luck would have it he had to return home owing to the death of his nephew.
Once the captain of the Pakistan team, Younis has played 254 ODIs but he was sidelined by the selectors since March, 2013 because of his inconsistent performance in the last few games..
“Younis has been dropped as part of a strategy to look forward to the future but the doors are not closed on him,” chief selector Moin Khan told a news conference.
“There is little time left before the World Cup so the selectors have decided to try out and give more exposure to the new and younger players,” he added.
Australia and New Zealand will host the World Cup from Feb. 14-March 29 next year.
Younis, despite having an impressive batting average of 51 in 91 tests, has not been as effective in ODIs, scoring 7017 runs at an average of 31.
STILL HOPING
But the batsman told reporters in Karachi he had not given up hope of playing at the World Cup.
“I will do my best to force my way back into the ODI side. I have no plans to retire from this format as yet,” he added.
The selectors also ignored experienced pacer Umar Gul for the ODI and T20 squads and dropped left arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.
Khan said that while announcing the two squads the main thrust was on the World Cup “which is why we have focused on youngsters like Saad Nasim.” Nasim, a leg spinner-batsman, is the only uncapped player in the two squads.
“We have also recalled some young players like Umar Amin and Raza Hasan to bolster the squad, but this does not take anything away from the service Younis has given to the Pakistan team,” he added.
Pakistan have also recalled opener Ovais Zia for the T20 match after he last played against England in the same format in early 2012.
Umar Amin, 24, who has played four tests, 14 ODIs and nine T20 matches, is a stylish left hander who last played in a T20 in December 2013. Left arm spinner, Raza Hasan, 22, played seven T20 games in 2012 before being sidelined with a back injury.
The players selected for the teams are:
T20 – 14 members: Shahid Afridi (C), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohd Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Sohaib Maqsood, Owais Zia, Saad Naseem, Raza Hasan, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Bilawal Bhatti, Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanvir,
ODI – 15 members: Misbahul Haq (C), Ahmed Shahzad, Mohd Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asaf Shafiq, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Raza Hasan, Mohd Irfan, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan,
Moin also announced a 14-member Pakistan A team for a four-day match against Australia. The team will be led by Asad Shafiq.
Another 14-member A-team, led by Sohaib Maqsood, will play a five-ODI series against UAE.

Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

Thats a mistake. We definitely need his experience. They were giving him lower contract before srilanka series as well and he was the only one to score century over there. Especially against australia its more of a mind game where strong nerves are required.

Also why is Cheema not a part of this squad? Look at his bowling in India at CT20.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

What is surprising is that the best bowler in the Team Junaid Khan is not in the T20 team. Plus most new names are tried and tested and have nothing new to show. All in all PCB could have done a better job of selection.

Abdul Quddus
DET - U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

after 250 ODIs, he averages 31.................................how many more chances for him!

plus he will score in one game and then wait for next 10 to score another useless 42

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

Oh no. Hope Younis is brought back for the World Cup. Pakistan needs his steadying influence, along with Misbah's.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

it's about time to get rid of 'old horses'...new blood should be injected in the team. let younger people play.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

If Afridi doesn't perform he should be tossed out at the end of the series

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

you better start looking for a place where you can toss Afridi out. :D

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

Thats not the right time to kick out the experienced players. It happens right after the worldcup so that they get prepared by the next cup.

We do need Younus for his the sake of his experience as he's got some additives. Also remember we need sustaining batting line up to cover the shortcoming in bowling due to ajmal's absence

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

I think Shoaib Malik is also very experienced. Needs to be called up.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

We gave shoaib to India as Ghar jamai :cobra:

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

But we will loan him to our friends just for the World Cup.

Please pass the hukkah.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

I do not know how big is the 'parchi' of Umer Amin.

His first class average 37.57 ... no big deal to get even test place and Umer Amin still keeps getting chance and keep failing ... still in team ... Test, ODI as well as T-20 ... he continuously failed in all version of game, have pathetic performance, still getting chance after chance.

in 4 test matches ... 8 innings he made 99 runs at a pathetic average of 12.37 (0 score above 50) ... still in team.

In 14 ODI mataches ... he made 250 runs at a pathetic average of 19.23 (1 fifty) ... and pathetic run rate of 69.25 .. still in team.

In 9 T20s matches ... he made 76 runs at a pathetic average of 15.2 (1 fifty) ... and has T20 strike rate of 110.14 (not that brilliant) ... actually in he played 5 innings ... in one inning he made 59 runs ... that means in other 4 innings he played, he made 17 runs at an average of 4.25 runs per inning (pathetic).

His first class average is also not so brilliant. In 138 inning he made 4810 runs at an average of 37.57 and scored 9 centuries ... or 1 century for every 15.3 innings

Average test batsmen should have test average ~39 and makes 1 test century in 9 or 10 test innings ... and good batsmen should have average ~45 and makes 1 test century in 6 or 7 test innings ... but for Umer Amin, even his first class average and century do not compare with average test player .. so, how come he is in team?

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

I hope Asad Shafiq fills in the role vacated by Younus Khan. Harris Sohail has better first class average than Umar Amin. He should have been given the chance instead. Good to see Sarafaz back as fulltime keeper. U. Akmal is OK for T20 but not for ODIs. What has Sohail Tanvir done? I think Bilawal Bhatti did more in the short time he has played to justify his place in 15 member squad. Its funny how they took Zulfiqar Babar on tours and didn't play him. He was just there to carry the drinks and now when its time to play fulltime, they drop him. What a stupid system we have. They are flying Sohail Tanvir, Bilawal and Saad Naseem for just one T20 match. They could have money and announced the same squad for both T20s and ODIs except Misbah

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

Justice done

YK please focus on Tests only

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

Am I the only one who thinks that if given regular chances, Azhar Ali can become a successful long term one down in both tests and ODIs? I mean just look at his ODI and first class limited overs records. His strike rate is admittedly on a lower side in ODIs, but given that Younus is out of contention now and Misbah will most probably hang his ODI gloves after world cup, we will desperately need a consolidator or two for ODIs. That he has all the qualities to be a good future captain is a big plus.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

No I dont agree. He’s more like Misbah as you said yourself. I dont think he can score quick runs under pressure so can be a ball-hogger. But one thing is that if he’s really in a great form, we can give him a shot so its not like he should b banned from ODI, just not in the priority list

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

If you are going to get rid of Younis Khan, then you need to replace him with a Virat Kohli like player. Not another slow scoring player. You need to think about the future and of cricket, this kinda cricket will not be played. 300+ ODI scores a becoming very common thanks to T20 style cricket being so popular.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

^^Yes his current form doesn't suggest anything spectacular but he has proved his worth and potential many a times during last four years. Selectors will take notice if he plays a few more knocks like the one he played yesterday in Domestic T20 competition.

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Re: Younis axed from ODIs as Pakistan names squad for Australia series

We don't have anyone at the moment in domestic circuit who could remotely be compared to Kohli. I agree that the bar for average ODI score is getting higher by the passage of time but the value of a solid accumulator still can not be denied, specially in a fragile batting line up like Pakistan. And with right amount of confidence and form, upping the ante when needed would not be beyond a technically compact and mentally strong batsman. Case in study is one Rahul Dravid who was never considered an aggressor but whose ODI career was as successful as his test career.