Younis Khan served show-cause notice after media outburst

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a show-cause notice to Younis Khan after the senior cricketer criticised it for its disparaging attitude towards senior players.

It seems his dropping from Pakistan's ODI team for the upcoming Australia series did not go well with senior player Younis Khan who expressed deep anger at the PCB and strongly criticised the board for the marginalisation of senior players.

Chief selector Moin Khan had announced the team for the Australia series two days ago during a press conference in Lahore.

“After such derogatory behaviour by the PCB, I advise young cricketers to abandon their dream of playing for the team,” Younis said, adding that throughout his career he had encouraged junior players and had worked to safeguard the rights of fellow team members.

He said he never used any contacts to maintain his position in the team or to tilt decisions of the PCB in his favour by using external pressure.

Once the captain of the Pakistan team, Younis has played 254 ODIs but he appears to have been sidelined by the selectors since March, 2013 also perhaps on account of what has also been regarded as his inconsistent performance in the last few games.

The Pakistan-Australia series, comprising one T20 and three ODI matches, is scheduled to kick off on October 5 in the United Arab Emirates.

Younis Khan said that he would step aside from all cricket for five months as the team is rebuilt.

However, he remains Pakistan's best middle-order batsman in Tests, where his absence could seriously hurt the team's chances against Australia and New Zealand in upcoming series.

“Don't select me, not even in Tests. I sacrifice my future,” Younis told reporters in Karachi, questioning why the lineup was being altered with just months to go before the World Cup.

“If we wanted to rebuild the team then (the) World Cup was held four years ago, why are we rebuilding this in the last three to four months?”

The stylish right-hander, who averages over 51 in Tests with 24 centuries to his name, has seen turmoil in the past and has a reputation for his outspoken comments.

In 2006 he refused to stand in for then-injured skipper, Inzamam-ul-Haq, saying he did not want to be a “dummy captain”.

He led the team to World T20 glory in 2009, lost the captaincy, and later refused to take it back when offered.

“They have hurt me, if you say that I am not in future planning then it hurts. I am fit and I am committed. If they had told me that (last month's) Sri Lanka series is your last then I would have left with respect,” said Khan.

He also cited the examples of Javed Miandad, Mohammed Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq as past greats who were forced out of the team unceremoniously.