Yousuf blames PCB, captain for ICL move

An angry Mohammad Yousuf on Friday blamed the attitude of Pakistan cricket authorities and captain Shoaib Malik for his move to the unofficial Indian league, denying he was motivated by money.

The 34-year-old was banned from all cricket in Pakistan after he joined the lucrative Indian Cricket League (ICL) on Wednesday.

Yousuf said the attitude of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Malik pushed him towards the ICL.

"Everyone is saying that I have signed (up for) the ICL because of money but the real reason was the attitude of the PCB and Malik which forced me to join the league,"

Yousuf told in a radio interview.

Yousuf left for India on Monday, hours after being named in Pakistan's squad to play three one-day internationals against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi.

The player had previously been left out of the side for a four-nation Twenty20 competition in Canada in October because of visa problems. But he said that was not the whole story.

"I was told that my visa for Canada was delayed. In fact afterwards I got to know that my visa was applied (for) in a wrong manner and I was left out of the team and no one from the PCB bothered to talk to me,"

he added.

"I am the senior most player and team's best performer for the last several years but I was left out of the team. They don't want me in the team so why not I join a league where I am welcomed?"

said Yousuf.

"(The) captain never gave me the respect I deserved."

Yousuf signed for the ICL in September last year after being left out of Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup squad. The PCB managed to convince him to continue playing for the national side and return the ICL signing-on fee.

But he was lured back to the ICL once more after missing the Canada tournament.

"The PCB must give respect to the senior players and if they don't, more and more senior players will leave for the ICL. That has been the case since last year,"

said Yousuf.

The ICL authorities said they have dropped all the cases against Yousuf for breach of contract in 2007. Yousuf will now make his ICL debut for Lahore Badshahs on Friday.

Yousuf said he still harbours hopes of playing for Pakistan.

"I know I still have three to four years of cricket left in me, so I can still play for Pakistan provided I am accepted by the PCB and my team-mates, especially the captain."

Captain to be consulted in team selection: Ejaz Butt

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ejaz Butt has assured Saturday that captain Pakistan cricket team Shoaib Malik would be consulted for selection of the national cricket team.

He said this during a meeting with Shoaib Malik and the selection committee at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Shoaib Malik said after the meeting that the selection for the national team, for next tour, would be made on mutual consultation of the captain and the selection committee.

He quoted PCB chairman as saying that no in-disciplinary act would be allowed and only the in-form players would become part of the team.

Malik said neither does exist any conflict nor there is any grouping in the team and ruled out news regarding PCB former chairman Dr. Naseem Ashraf’s joining cricket team in dressing room during a T20 match in Toronto.

Meanwhile, the chairman selection committee said that team selection, for series in Abu Dhabi against the West Indies, would be evaluated on the performance of players in the first two matches of the Toronto T20 tournament.

Shoaib Malik likely to be named captain

Shoaib Malik has emerged as the leading candidate for the Pakistan captaincy after discussions between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials over the weekend. An official announcement on the decision is expected in the next two to three days.
The appointment, if Malik agrees, is likely to be till September, when the situation will be reviewed again ahead of a hectic international season that includes a full series in India and a home series against Australia.
The discussions centred on Malik and Salman Butt but it was narrowed down to the former as Butt currently does not hold down a place in either the Test or ODI sides. "In principle, a decision has been taken to offer it to Malik. There isn't really another suitable candidate around," one official told Cricinfo.
"We have a few assignments in the pipeline over the summer. There may be a series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi and a match in England so we are talking about Malik for that. We will review the situation in September, ahead of the home season," he added.
Nasim Ashraf, chairman PCB, refused to confirm or deny that Malik would be offered the captaincy but said that a decision was imminent. "No decision has been taken yet," Ashraf told Cricinfo. "We will make the decision in the next two to three days."
Whoever does become the captain, Ashraf added, would take charge of both the Test and ODI sides and is likely to be appointed, initially, on a series-by-series basis. "We will have one captain for both. I think in Pakistan cricket, it is advisable to have one leader in charge of both sides.
"Initially the appointment will be on a series-by-series basis. But eventually, before the India tour later this year, we will make a longer-term appointment," he added.
Though Malik has only played 18 Tests, in a number of different positions in the order, he has been earmarked for leadership by a number of people over the last two years, including Bob Woolmer. He has, however, become a vital cog in Pakistan's ODI outfit and has been among the most consistent batsmen for Pakistan in that form of the game since 2004.
There is a concern that senior players might not so readily accept a younger player as captain but at least Mohammad Yousuf, who said recently he was willing to become captain if it was offered, has sought to play down those fears. "If the PCB wants to appoint a junior player as the future captain, I absolutely have no issue with it", he told reporters on Monday.
"I have never been greedy. I want to serve my country, whether as captain or as an ordinary player, that's enough honour for me."
Younis Khan was originally in place to take over as captain after Inzamam-ul-Haq's resignation and retirement from ODIs, but he turned down the offer citing the mental strain of taking on one of cricket's toughest jobs