Younus makes an emotional appeal to lift ban

Published Mon, May 24 10 09:58 PM

Karachi, May 24 (PTI) Pakistan former captain Younus Khan told a parliamentary committee on sports today that he had been unjustly treated by the cricket authorities and the indefinite ban imposed on him after the Australian tour should be lifted immediately. An emotional Younus Khan told the National Assembly standing committee on sports that he still didn''t know for what crime the Pakistan board had banned him from playing for the national team. "I still don''t know my crime. They say I had differences with Muhammad Yousuf. But they were never serious differences. I was the one who took him to the board Chairman after he wanted to return from the Indian Cricket League," Younus said. The former captain who led Pakistan to the World T20 Cup title last year in England also blamed the board for not doing anything to bridge differences among players when they knew something was wrong in the team. "At that time the board did nothing to resolve these issues by getting all the players to sit together and sort out their differences," he added. Younus said the board had banned him without giving him a chance to clarify his position. "I am very frustrated as I want to play for my country, Pakistan has given me everything and my career is being wasted for something I have not done," he said. Younus spoke after being asked by the Chairman of the parliamentary committee, Iqbal Muhammad Khan if he would like to say something at today''s hearing of the committee in Islamabad which was attended by PCB chairman Ejaz Butt, COO Wasim Bari, former coaches -- Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed and Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed. Iqbal Muhammad Khan noted that it appeared as if PCB had indeed done injustice with Younus as he was an honest man who wanted to do well for his country. Butt agreed with the committee''s observation stating that he had found Younus to be a patriot and honest man. But he blamed the former Chairman of the NA sports committee, Jamshed Dasti for destroying Younus'' career with his unsubstantiated and irresponsible match fixing allegations against him after the Champions Trophy last year. .

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