Melbourne, Dec 31 (IANS) Newly appointed captain Mohammad Yousuf has warned that too much of Twenty20 will finish Pakistan cricket.
Yousuf, who this year severed his ties with Indian Cricket League Twenty20 tournament to resurrect his international career, feels that like England and Australia, Pakistan should focus on Tests and ODIs. The players should limit themselves to just one domestic Twenty20 tournament and a World event.

Yousuf’s observation comes in the wake of Pakistan’s 170-run loss to Australia in the first Test here. The Pakistani batsmen struggled on a placid pitch.

“My belief is that you have to reduce Twenty20 heavily. They shouldn’t play it in club cricket - even there you play 20 overs, not 40-over matches. I only have 2-3 years left in my career but I worry Twenty20 will finish Pakistan’s cricket. One domestic Twenty20 tournament and a World Cup is enough.”

“It (batting failures) used to happen before but now because of Twenty20 cricket no player knows how to stay at the wicket anymore,” Yousuf was quoted as saying in Cricinfo.

“Batsmen are finding it very difficult. I know the format has money, players get it and boards do but if Pakistan hypes up Twenty20 too much, Test and ODI cricket will really go down.”

Pakistan are the reigning world champions in the format, having emerged the surprise winners of World Twenty20 in June in England.

“Both in Tests and ODIs we have problems. We struggle to bat 50 overs. Against New Zealand (in Abu Dhabi) we couldn’t make 212 in 50 overs. Everyone played shots and got out.

“Twenty20 is easy for Pakistanis because they know how to hit, nobody knows how to defend. Until players do not play with discipline and play ball to ball and leave balls they are supposed to we will struggle in ODIs, let alone Tests.”

“You look at England, South Africa and Australia. They give Test cricket and ODIs the attention they deserve. Until we do the same, we will not progress.”