Daily Times

LAHORE: Veteran Pakistan batsman Younus Khan has brushed aside all rumours regarding taking his retirement decision back. The 39-year-old, who announced two weeks back that he would retire after the ongoing series against the West Indies, was quoted two days back by several media outlets to be contemplating retracting his decision if the team wanted him to do so. However, Younus has come out to deny all such rumours, reiterating his desire to bow out of international cricket after the three-Test series.

In a video message released from West Indies, Younus remains firm about his intent to retire from international cricket. In a clarification of a previous statement which left open the possibility that he could extend his career if his team needs him, Younus said that he will retire even if he scores “a hundred in every innings of every match against West Indies.”

Younus’ statement around the possibility of reconsidering his retirement raised a number of eyebrows in Pakistan, a country familiar with difficult and prolonged retirements. “A lot has been said about my retirement from cricket that maybe Younus wants to keep on playing Test cricket which is absolutely not true,” Younis said. “I had announced my retirement with a plan, with honour after thinking and according to my wish. The question that was asked to me, what my answer was and what version went out, I don’t want to go in detail. Younus will retire even if he scores a hundred in every innings of every match against West Indies. Please don’t doubt Younus’s credibility and support Pakistan. Pray for Younus and for Pakistan that we can win a Test series for the very first time in West Indies.”

Younis, 39, had announced his decision to retire from international cricket on April 8. At the time, when asked if he would reconsider his decision if asked to return by the PCB or fans, he said: “This will be a u-turn and then people will call me u-turn. But the country is always first and we can do anything for Pakistan. I am not saying that I want to captain but I don’t want to make a u-turn. I am for Pakistan and Pakistan is everything for me.”

His retirements from T20 internationals and ODIs have not been without some drama. In 2009, he announced his intent to retire from T20 internationals moments after leading the side to the World T20 title. But a year later, he played three T20I matches in New Zealand, after which he was never selected for the format. He announced his retirement from ODIs on the morning of the start of a four-ODI series against England in the UAE in November 2015 and walked away after playing the first match. He had been recalled to the side after losing his place following a disappointing performance in the 2015 World Cup, and had been vocal in his criticism of the selectors in the wake of his axing.

Younus, who started his career for Pakistan seventeen years ago, has so far represented Pakistan in 115 Tests and is the country’s leading run-scorer in the five-day format.

With Younus and Misbahul Haq set to retire at the end of the series, Pakistan’s selection committee is looking to induct youngsters in the side with the intention of building a new team after the exits of the senior batsmen. The team’s next assignment is a series against Bangladesh and Pakistan’s chief selector Inzamamul Haq was known to be keen to move on beyond Misbah and Younus after the Caribbean tour.