Younis returns to Pakistan team for South Africa series

KARACHI - Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan was recalled to the national team for its upcoming series against South Africa after he “resolved” his differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) here Wednesday.

Younis, who was banned indefinitely last March over disciplinary problems, met with PCB chairman Ijaz Butt in Lahore after which Butt informed national selectors that they can pick up Younis for national duty.

“Chairman of the PCB has given clearance this afternoon to Younis Khan and that is good news,” Mohsin Khan, the chief selector of the PCB, told reporters. “I discussed with the selection committee and we picked him straight away. He is fit, playing top-class cricket.”

Apart from a clearance from Ijaz Butt, another development that went in the favour of Younis was that senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been ruled out for the next two weeks because of injury. Yousuf will be unavailable for the Twenty20 and one-day matches against South Africa in the UAE as he is suffering from a grade 2 abductor muscle tear.

Ijaz Butt said he was happy that Younis is back in the national team.

Younis is a good player and he is very positive about his return which is a good sign for our team, said Butt.

There were a few hitches in his return to the national team but they have been resolved, he added without explaining any further.

Mohsin Khan, meanwhile, said that Younis has only been selected for the one-day series but could play in the Tests if he performs well in the ODIs.