PCB rejects Younus Khan`s resignation

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has rejected Pak skipper Younus Khan’s resignation.

Zeecric Bureau

Karachi: PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has rejected Younus Khan’s resignation and has announced that Khan will get a free hand till 2011 Cricket World Cup.Ending all speculation on the captaincy issue, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday decided to extend skipper Younus Khan’s term till the end of the 2011 World Cup. PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt said in a press conference immediately after concluding a meeting of the governing council in Lahore, informing the members of his plans. Pakistan cricket had plunged into a crisis since last week when Younus submitted his resignation to Butt, in protest against the match-fixing allegations made against him and his team for losing to Australia and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy. The crisis has also created a clear divide in Pakistan cricket with one side pressurising the board to accept Younus’ resignation and opt for a new captain while the other side believes the board should convince Younus to take back his resignation by accepting some of his demands.The anti-Younus camp is propagating that if the board does not accept his resignation, it might lead to an open revolt by around eight to nine players in the team against his captaincy. The anti-Younus side on also took great pains to point out that Younus exit would have no political repercussions with Sports Minister Aftab Shah Jillani making it clear that the government would not interfere in the matter. “Younus met the Chairman last week and made his position very clear that he will only take back his resignation if he is appointed until the tour of England next year and secondly he does not want Yawar Saeed or Shafqat Rana continuing in the management set up,” a close aide of Younus said. “If the board wants the betterment of Pakistan cricket and the team, they must accept Younus’ demands. Younus, on his part, has no issues playing as a ordinary member of the team but he will not like to be a toothless captain,” the aide said. He said Younus had told Butt to call those players who have problems with him to meet face-to-face and sort out things. “Younus is a dedicated and honest person who will not tolerate anything less than 100 percent from the other players,” he said. Apparently, vice captain Shahid Afridi and senior players Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal feel Younus has been behaving like a dictator, believing he could be another Imran Khan.