Sunday, August 1, 2010

Yousuf recalled to Pakistan squad

Mohammad Yousuf
Yousuf's return will boost Pakistan's fragile batting line-up

Former captain Mohammad Yousuf has been recalled to the Pakistan squad after their 354-run defeat in the first of four Tests against England.

The batsman quit international cricket in March in protest at his suspension after last winter's Australia tour.

Yousuf's availability for Friday's Edgbaston Test may depend on whether a visa can be organised in time, team spokesman Yawar Saeed told BBC Sport.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has been dropped and replaced by Raza Hasan.

Kaneria has been released to play county cricket for Essex after a dismal performance in the first Test at Trent Bridge in which he claimed 1-171 off 33 overs.

His replacement Hasan is an 18-year-old left-arm spinner who has represented Pakistan at under-19 level.

But it is Yousuf who is likely to have a more significant impact on the team, providing the experience and quality that was lacking from Pakistan's batting in the first Test as they were bowled out for 182 and 80 - their lowest score against England.

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The 35-year-old has scored 7,431 runs in 88 Tests and has an average of 53.07, including 24 centuries.

He was named the International Cricket Council's Test Player of the Year in 2007 after scoring a record 1,788 runs in 2006.

However, his captaincy of Pakistan's tour of Australia proved disastrous, with infighting affecting the team's performances as they lost all three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board responded by giving Yousuf and former captain Younis Khan indefinite bans, while another ex-skipper Shoab Malik and pace bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were banned for a year.

Malik and Younis had their bans lifted in May, but by then Yousuf had already announced his retirement from international cricket.

Team coach Waqar Younis said on Saturday that he did not expect Yousuf to be coaxed out of retirement.

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