Thaindian News

Hobart, Jan 14 (IANS) Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf is confident that his predecessor Younis Khan will return to strengthen the team’s batting ahead of the five-match one-day series that gets underway Jan 22 in Brisbane.
Younis is likely to make his international comeback after missing the Test tour of New Zealand and the three-match Test series against Australia that concludes here January 19.

Yousuf hoped that his long-time batting partner Younis will make a successful comeback in the one-day series.

“Inshaallah he (Younis) is coming for the ODIs,” Yousuf said Thursday here at the Bellerive Oval.

“He is a very good player. He has played well in the past and we need him for the No.3 position,” said Yousuf.

Yousuf replaced Younis as the Pakistan captain last November when the latter pulled out of the Test tour of New Zealand after leading the national team to a disappointing 1-2 defeat in the one-day series against the Kiwis in Abu Dhabi.

After the Test tour of New Zealand, Younis decided against making himself available for the Tests against Australia.

However, he expressed his willingness to make his international return after Pakistan lost the opening Test in Melbourne last month.

By then, the national selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had decided to stick with Faisal Iqbal on the No. 3 spot. However Faisal is unlikely to be retained for the one-dayers which means Younis could be recalled for the five-match series.