Karachi: The national selectors might have ignored Younis Khan from the ODI squad, but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan today said that the senior batsman should be part of the team's 2015 World Cup plans.
"In my personal opinion I think Younis should be in the one-day team but this is the domain of the national selectors and I don't interfere in their work," said Shaharyar.
His remarks are sure to put pressure on the national selection committee headed by Moin Khan to include Younis in the one-day squad, especially after he scored twin hundreds in the first Test against Australia in Dubai last week.
Moin has indicated in recent times that Younis was not part of the selectors plans for the World Cup one reason why the former captain has played a single ODI (against Sri Lanka in August) in 18 months time.
Shaharyar insisted he didn't try to influence the selectors.
"That is why when they brought the ODI squad for the Australia series to me for approval and it didn't feature Younis I didn't say anything because it is their domain," he added.
The selector's decision to oust Younis from the ODI squad last month caused a lot of bitterness between the batsman and the selectors and board. Younis had hit out at them for not showing enough respect to senior players after being dropped and even offered to step down from the Test squad.
He escaped without any disciplinary action from the board. In light of his tirade against the selectors and board his two centuries against Australia have assumed great significance.
Younis himself said after his twin centuries, which made him Pakistan's highest century-maker, as being in the run for World Cup selection.
But Pakistan's former captain and now cricket pundit, Rameez Raja lamented the statement of Shaharyar.
"I don't think there is a need to say such things in public. It only creates controversies and now it will put pressure on the players, selectors and board itself. What happens now if Younis is not picked in the ODI squad," he questioned.
Rameez said they were certain things which were never discussed in public by the board.
He also felt it was unfair to talk about Younis being in the World Cup squad on basis of his Test performances.
"They are more matches to be played this season before the World Cup so I think the timing of the PCB statement is not right," he said on Geo news channel.
