Younis denies rumours of division in Pakistan team

KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has vehemently denied rumours of divisions in his team, saying he would step down if such a problem existed.

In an emotional interview to Daily Jang Monday, Younis stressed that there were no problems in the Pakistan team and speculations of infighting in the dressing room are being spread by some people with vested interest.

Younis, who took over as Pakistan captain earlier this year and led his team to a title-winning triumph in the World Twenty20 championship in England in June, has been under fire for failing to inspire the tourists in Sri Lanka, where they lost the Test series 0-2.

Some critics have blamed division within the team for its poor showing in the first two Tests at Galle and Colombo from seemingly winning positions. Critics like former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and ex-Test pacer Sarfraz Nawaz are convinced that Pakistan lost because some of the senior players intentionally under-performed to bring Younis downfall.

Younis, however, rubbished such claims. People have made my players from hero to zero within a span of just two Tests, he said referring to adulations after their World Twenty20 title win in England, weeks before the series defeat in Sri Lanka.

The biggest problem with us is that people do not check their fact before saying such things. They just speculate and believe that it true.

Younis said there cannot be any infighting in his team because there are no “superstars” in his side. In my team, nobody including myself can afford to intentionally underperform. No player has a permanent place in this time and each one of us has to perform to stay in it, he said.

In the past, Pakistan team used to have great players like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Moin Khan and Rashid Latif.

“Those players were indispensable. But in the current team, there are no such superstars.