Run-Machine Younis Leaves Pakistan's Selectors with a World Cup Headache

Pakistan’s selectors may have to reconsider their recent decision to axe Younis Khan from their one-day team with the World Cup on the horizon, after the veteran’s latest batting masterclass on the first day of the second and final Test with Australia in Abu Dhabi.

Younis racked up the 27th hundred of his 93-Test career at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday, and having not scored a century in any of his first six Tests against Australia, the 36-year-old has now become the first player for 90 years to have made three successive tons against them.

All of which makes the omission of the experienced right-hander from the ODI series that was played against the tourists earlier this month, and seemingly also from Pakistan’s squad for next year’s World Cup, all the more baffling.

Younis had initially been recalled to the 50-over setup for the first time since March 2013 on Pakistan’s tour to Sri Lanka in August, only to suddenly have to return home to Karachi following the death of his nephew after making just three in the first match of that series.

And that led chief selector Moin Khan to declare that Younis, who turns 37 next month, was no longer part of Pakistan’s ODI plans going forward, with the one-time wicketkeeper declaring, per ESPN Cricinfo:

“Our experiment with Younis in the ODI series in Sri Lanka backfired. Now all have unanimously decided to look ahead to our future with youngsters."

"His services for Pakistan are commendable but now we have to take a step forward and he is also out of contention for the 2015 World Cup.”

However, after Younis’ unbeaten 111—his eighth Test hundred in the United Arab Emirates, five more than any batsman has managed in the region—had guided his side to a dominant position of 304-2 on day one in Abu Dhabi, the calls for a one-day recall will now be deafening ahead of the World Cup, which starts in Australia and New Zealand in February.

The player himself even touched on this possibility in the immediate aftermath of his man-of-the-match display in the home team’s comprehensive victory in the first Test in Dubai, telling sports channel Geo Super (h/t The Hindu):

"

After scoring these hundreds against Australia it has rekindled hope in me that I can play in the World Cup because that is what I want to do.

When I went to join the team in Dubai for the Test series I said to myself the past is past and now I have to just focus on doing well and proving myself again.

It happened for me and I am happy that we also won the Test. But my feeling is that the selectors need to not consider age or position while selecting players for any form of the game.

Youth is good for any team but age should not be a bar. No matter what age a player is if he is fit and can deliver then he should be considered for the World Cup.

The selectors need to see which players can deliver in the World Cup for the team and country.

I know I can deliver because if anything these centuries have only spurred me on to do more and I know there is still much more to achieve with four more Tests to follow before the World Cup.

"

And Younis is right to say that age should not be a barrier to his chances of representing Pakistan in the 50-over arena, especially as one-day captain and fellow middle-order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq is 40 years old, after all.

In fact, one could even go as far as saying Pakistan’s hopes of repeating their only previous World Cup triumph, when the tournament was also held in Australia and New Zealand back in 1992, may well rest on a recall for the man with 254 ODI appearances under his belt.

But surely the selectors will not need much persuading bringing back a batsman who has now scored a mammoth 2,670 runs in 30 Tests at an average of 60.68—including 11 centuries—since his comeback into cricket four years ago, when Younis missed 11 games after being banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board?

Well, this being Pakistani cricket, there are no guarantees on that.

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