Former Pakistan captain and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf has pulled out of the National T20 Championship, triggering speculation that it may mean end of his cricket career.
Published: Sep 23, 2011, 01:02 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 23, 2011, 01:02 PM (IST)
Mohammad Yousuf was named as captain of the Lahore Lions team © Getty Images
Lahore: Sep 22, 2011
Former Pakistan captain and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf has pulled out of the National T20 Championship, triggering speculation that it may mean end of his cricket career.
Yousuf was named as captain of the Lahore Lions team on Wednesday by the Lahore City Cricket Association but 24 hours later the LCCA confirmed that the senior player had pulled out of the event.
“Yes, Yousuf has informed us he is not available to captain the Lahore side. Abdul Razzaq will now lead the team in his place,” a LCCA official said.
Razzaq was initially not available for the tournament as he was representing the Leicestershire side in the Champions League qualifiers in India .
But his team lost both their matches and could not qualify for the main rounds thus paving the way for Razzaq to return to Pakistan in time for the National T20 Championship.
Yousuf’s decision to make himself available for the National T20 event was seen as a strong sign that the former captain was still keen on resurrecting his international career but those hopes have dashed now.
Yousuf last played for Pakistan against South Africa in the UAE in November 2010 and then had to return home with a fitness issue.
Yousuf who turned 37 last month has appeared in 90 Tests and 288 one-day internationals but his T20 career for Pakistan has been limited to just three matches. (PTI)
