A potentially dysfunctional Pakistan cricket side presented a
united front when arriving for their three-test series
against New Zealand today, downplaying the significance of a
change in captaincy.
While New Zealand approach the third -- and most challenging
-- leg of their `away' series having acclimatised to life
without a head coach, the Pakistanis have Mohammad Yousuf at
the helm and doubts surrounding the future of coach Intikhab
Alam.
Although former captain Younis Khan has officially been
"rested" from the tour the out-of-form batsman's leadership
style is said to have prompted a player revolt, similar to
that which prompted New Zealand coach Andy Moles to resign
last month.
Reports out of subcontinent also claim Intikhab, a Younis
ally, could be replaced by former captain, coach and Pakistan
Cricket Board director general Javed Miandad for the
subsequent tour of Australia.
But rumours of internal squabbling are nothing new to
Pakistan cricket, prompting Intikhab to today clarify the
former captain's status.
"There is a misconception regarding Younis," he said.
"He wasn't dropped from the side or sacked from the
captaincy. It was a decision he made that he wanted to get
away for a while.
"He wasn't in the best of form and he said it was the best
time to go and play domestic cricket, find some form and then
join the team in Australia."
Younis, who offered to resign after unsubstantiated
allegations of matchfixing emerged at October's Champions
Trophy, led Pakistan to a 1-2 one-day series loss to New
Zealand in Abu Dhabi last week before stepping aside.
Although doubts about his relationship with senior teammates
remain, he had earlier been appointed captain until the 2011
World Cup.
Yousuf, the team's senior player with 82 tests and 278
one-day internationals, rejoined the national team in July
after severing ties with the `rebel' Indian Cricket League.
Asked whether it was a disruptive time to take over the
reins, the 35-year-old admitted: "It's a big responsibility.
I'll try my level best to make a unity in the team and play
good cricket here."
Pakistan's 17-man squad arrived here today before heading to
Queenstown tomorrow for a three-day game against a New
Zealand Invitation 11 starting on Wednesday.
Other than allowing the Pakistanis time to acclimatise, the
match is also an opportunity for incumbent New Zealand test
batsmen Tim McIntosh and Daniel Flynn to gauge a dangerous
pace attack featuring reverse swing exponent Umar Gul and
17-year-old tearaway Mohammad Aamer.
The duo has already been a handful for New Zealand's batsmen
in the limited overs formats while 26-year-old quick Mohammad
Asif is poised to reinforce the pace battery more than two
years after playing his last test.
Asif has been plagued by injury and tainted by drug scandals
over the last two years.
He was banned for a year after testing positive to nandrolone
and was then deported and barred from the United Arab
Emirates after being found in possession of a quantity of
opium last year.
"We're very fortunate to have him back in the side," Intikhab
said.
"He's a matchwinner, there's no doubt about it, and he has to
prove it again."
Pakistan (from): Mohammad Yousuf (captain) Salman Butt,
Khurrum Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam,
Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal,
Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Abdur
Rauf, Umer Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmad.
New Zealand Invitation 11: Grant Elliott (captain), Craig
Cumming, Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Daniel Flynn, James
Franklin, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Daryl Tuffey, Tarun
Nethula, Iain O'Brien, Brent Arnel.
