LAHORE: Former captain Younis Khan was cleared to play for his country on Wednesday after resolving a long-running battle with the cricket board.
“Younis has given a written undertaking which was required to clear him and he will be soon be back in the team,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told AFP.
“Younis has got a letter of clearance,” confirmed close friend, Basit Ali. The 32-year-old batsman had been banned indefinitely on charges of violating a players’ code of conduct after Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia, which ended in February.
Six other players, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal, were also banned and fined. Except for Yousuf, who retired, they all appealed against the sanctions. A tribunal run by retired judge Irfan Qadir overturned the bans and halved the fines against six players.
Yousuf was allowed to play on Pakistan’s recent tour of England, which was mired in a separate spot-fixing scandal. The PCB ordered Younis to apologise for statements made to the media criticising the cricket board for having taken strict steps, but the former captain refused.
Chief selector Mohsin Khan told reporters that Younis would be part of the limited over squad against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates. After monitoring his progress, he may also be included for a Test series against South Africa, Khan said.
Experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been ruled out of the limited overs due to injury. Pakistan plays the first Twenty20 match in Abu Dhabi on October 27. Younis last played a one-day for Pakistan in January during the tour of Australia.
He played the last of his 63 Tests in Sri Lanka last year. He led Pakistan to its World Twenty20 title in England last year. He relinquished the captaincy after falling out out with team-mates in November.
