LAHORE Former captain Younis Khan is likely to return to the national squad for the England tour as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought the player's availability for the tour — a step that may serve as a sigh of relief for the veteran batsman.
It seems the PCB is no longer interested in lingering on the issue of indiscipline with the Test cricketer, due to which the cricketer has been facing indefinite ban over Pakistan's last tour to Australia earlier this year. Well-informed sources told Dawn that the PCB had also sought the consent of Younis about his availability for the England tour.
Younis, who has represented Pakistan in 63 Tests, was one of the seven cricketers who were penalised for indiscipline noticed during the last tour of Australia.
Younis faced a ban for indefinite period, but that was waived off by the one-man arbitrator panel of Irfan Qadir, who heard the appeals of six cricketers. The seventh player — Mohammad Yousuf — did not appeal against the ban on him for an indefinite period and preferred to announce retirement.Only the appeal of all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who is facing one-year ban, is pending with the arbitrator and the decision on it is expected on coming Saturday.
Shoaib Malik (one-year ban plus cash penalty of Rs2 million), Shahid Afridi (Rs3 million), Kamran Akmal (Rs3 million) and Umar Akmal (Rs2 million) had got the decision of the arbitrator and all are playing for the country.
Younis, however, managed to get the ban waived off as the PCB, without having the arbitrator's decision on Younis's appeal, had selected him in the list of 35 probables for the ongoing Asia Cup tournament.
Soon after it, the arbitrator accepted the appeal of Younis with the ruling that as the PCB had already considered his name in the list of 35 probables, the indefinite ban on him had gone automatically.
However, the arbitrator allowed the PCB that it could prepare another charge sheet against Younis.
But while on one hand, the PCB's lawyer did not go through the case as yet, on the other the board managed to seek Younis's availability for the long tour to England, showing the experienced batsman is set to stage comeback.
The Pakistan squad is scheduled to leave for England from Sri Lanka after participating in the Asia Cup.
In England, Pakistan will play two Test matches and as many Twenty20 Internationals against Australia. Later, Pakistan will face England in four Tests, two Twenty20 Internationals and five One-day Internationals.
The team for the England tour is likely to be finalised after the Asia Cup match against arch-rivals India, scheduled for June 19.
