LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar M Khan Thursday felicitated Younus Khan on achieving two significant landmarks on day one of the first Test on Wednesday against Australia at Dubai International Stadium.
"When the Board of Governors (BoG) met here at the NCA, at the very outset the BoG members expressed their delight at Younus' signal achievement, and congratulated him on his performance," said a PCB official. "Younus had batted brilliantly almost through the day to score his 25th hundred, joining Inzamam-ul-Haq at the top of the list of Pakistan's Test century makers," it said. "Younus' ton also gave him the rare distinction of being the first Pakistani and 12th overall to have scored a hundred against all nine Test-playing nations," he added.
"Younus’ knock was brilliant, and it created a platform for the middle and late order to consolidate Team Pakistan's position," PCB chairman quoted as saying. "I also wish to congratulate Younus on the major personal milestones that he achieved. I also hope that he retains this form through the season to provide stability to Pakistan's middle order,” Shaharyar added.
Meanwhile, Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas thrilled over Younus Khan's performance in the Test match against Australia said the former captain deserves a definite chance in the next year's World Cup ODI squad to prove his mark.
Younus registered his record-equalling 25th Test century on the first day of the first Test in Dubai. Younus's knock took him level with Inzamam-ul-Haq's national record of centuries but made the 36-year-old the first Pakistani to score hundreds against all Test-playing nations.
Zaheer pointed that Younus was dropped during the ODI series against Australia and Pakistan went on to lose the series by 3-0. "It has never been easy for him. Things keep going against him but all the time he has showed and proved that he is playing for his country," he said.
Zaheer said whenever the team has needed him in good or bad times he has gone out there and played positive cricket. "I definitely see Younus playing in the 2015 World Cup as we have seen our team's performance in the ODI series without him," he said. Zaheer said it was also a good sign that skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has also gained his form in the Test match as he scored 69 runs. "It had been very hard for Misbah to sit in the dressing room while his team was playing the 3rd ODI," he said.
Zaheer said with Misbah and Younus both in forms, our team could become a formidable one in the ODIs. "I hope them to be in their top forms in the next year's World Cup as they can take the green-shirts to victory," he said.
Speaking about the return of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, Zaheer said the absence of Ajmal was haunting Pakistan and I didn’t know who would take 20 wickets in Test matches. "I hope Ajmal gets back before the 2015 World Cup," he said adding Ajmal has left a big gap in the team which cannot be filled by any other.”