Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board will announce on Monday whether Younis Khan will continue as captain of the Test and ODl sides or a new skipper will take over. PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt is due to address a press conference immediately after concluding a meeting of the governing council in Lahore in which he is expected to inform the members what he plans to do.
Pakistan cricket has plunged into a crisis since last week when Younis submitted his resignation to Butt in protest against the match-fixing allegations made against him and his team for lossing to Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.
The crisis has also created a clear divide in Pakistan cricket with one side pressurizing the board to accept Younis' resignation and opt for a new captain while the other side believes the board should convince Younis to take 'back his resignation by accepting some of his demands.
The anti-Younis camp is propagating that if the board does not accept his resignation. it might lead to all open revolt by around eight to nine players in the team against his captaincy Former captains backed Younis Khan to continue as the national team skipper, saying he is the bast man to lead the side.
Govt. not to interfere:Pakistan's Sports Minister Aftab Shah Jillani on Sunday
said the government would not interfere in the Younis Khan captaincy issue and would allow the Cricket Board to take whatever concision it felt was best for the team. Jillani told reporters that he had conveyed this to the board chairman Ejaz Butt.
“The PCB knows best what to do. But we hope whatever decision is taken is
taken keeping in mind the long term in terest of Pakistan cricket,” he said.
PCB chief blames media: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt on Sunday blamed the media for making speculations cad insisted he had not taken any decision to replace Younis Khan by Shahid Afridi as national team captain.
“It is all speculation by the media that the board has decided to remove Younus as captain and appoint Shahid Afridi in his place. No such decision has been taken,”
