LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan on Tuesday said that Younis Khan should be part of the team’s World Cup plans after the veteran batsman’s remarkable performance in the first Test against Australia last week.

The country’s cricket chief, however, said the final decision was up to the selectors adding he will “not interfere in the selection affairs” and it was his “personal opinion” that Younis should be a part of the Pakistan team for next year’s World Cup.

After being dropped from the One-day International series against Australia, Younis returned to the team with a bang, scoring a century in each innings as Pakistan won the first Test in Dubai.

“Younis performed extremely well in the first Test and I think he should be included in the squad for the World Cup,” Shaharyar told reporters.

With the two centuries, the 36-year-old Younis became Pakistan’s leading century-maker in Tests with 26, surpassing another former captain Inazamam-ul-Haq who has 25.

Without Younis in the team, Pakistan lost the ODI series 3-0 in the UAE with the selection committee, headed by Moin Khan, being widely criticised for the batsman’s omission.

The selectors had earlier come under fire for refusing to give Younis a Category ‘A’ central contract before then-PCB chairman Najam Sethi

“When the ODI team was announced, the selectors and other stakeholders had agreed upon Younis’ omission,” Shaharyar said. “But his fresh performances make him a strong candidate for selection.

“This is the domain of the national selectors and I won’t interfere in their work,” he added, implying he wouldn’t influence the selectors’ decision.

There are reports that not only the selectors but head coach Waqar Younis and to some extent captain Misbah-ul-Haq were also not in favour of including Younis in the ODI team.

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2014