.:: SAMAA - Younus named ICC captain

Staff Report

LONDON: Younus Khan, who led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title on Sunday, has been named captain of the International Cricket Council's team of the tournament.

Four players from Pakistan made the team, along with two from runners-up Sri Lanka, three from South Africa and two from West Indies.

The team is: Chris Gayle (West Indies), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Younus Khan (Pakistan, captain), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Kamran Akmal (Pakistan, wicketkeeper), Wayne Parnell (South Africa), Umar Gul (Pakistan), Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka). And the 12th man is Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka).

The Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to arrive home from London to a warm welcome at 3am Tuesday at the Lahore airport.

Sunday's eight-wicket World Twenty20 final success at Lord's came for Pakistan just months after armed militants attacked the Sri Lanka team bus on the way to a Test in Lahore.

That March 3 incident, which saw six policemen and two civilians killed, plus seven Sri Lankan squad members injured, led to the suspension of international cricket in Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Younus Khan urged the international cricket community to return to the troubled Asian nation after leading his side to victory in the World Twenty20 final against Sri Lanka.

And the International Cricket Council (ICC) subsequently announced the country would no longer stage matches during the 2011 World Cup in Asia because of security concerns.

"Everybody knows we need a victory like this, especially a World Cup, in these days, it is a gift for the whole nation," Younus told reporters.

"Now we are champions, I am requesting all other countries, come to Pakistan. Especially for the youngsters, we need home series.

"How can we promote cricket and motivate my son and my neighbour's son? That's why we need cricket in Pakistan.

"It's not our fault. Sports should be away from politics, sports doesn't need politics."

There were many at Lord's, and among the watching television audience, who would have sympathised with Younus after an event where, both on and off the field, Pakistan showed why world cricket needs them as much as Pakistan need world cricket.

RETIREMENT

Stylish middle-order batsman Younus, who played no part in a Pakistan run-chase where Shahid Afridi's unbeaten 54 saw the side home with eight balls to spare, also announced he was retiring from Twenty20 internationals.

"I am retiring from T20 internationals," Younus said after Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

"I am now 34, I am old for this kind of cricket. The good thing is we have a couple of good youngsters like Shahzaib (Hasan) and Ahmad Shahzad."

Former test cricketer Mohsin Hassan Khan felt that Younus Khan's decision to retire after Pakistan won the ICC Twenty20 Sunday was an "emotional" one and he should take it back.

However, if he didn't, that decision should be respected and there were other capable boys such as Misbah-ul Haq and Shahid Afridi. He tempered his comment on Afridi by saying that he was a player who needed a "free hand". Thus it would not be fair to put pressure on such a player.

"The boys have worked very hard," he said. "Earlier I would wonder, they are such a good team, why are they not playing to full potential." But this victory had set aside those doubts.

The former test cricketer gave credit to Younus Khan for being a "brave" captain who knew that they couldn't go down without a fight. Credit also went to Intikhab Alam. "If you saw the body language in the first few matches, it was really different from yesterday," Khan said. "The credit for that goes to both men."

TRIBUTE

Younus, set to continue his Test and one-day international career, also paid tribute to former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, who died shortly after the team's shock loss to Ireland during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

"This final must go to Bob Woolmer," said Younus. "He was very good with us from 2005, especially with my cricket. He was a very nice guy and a father figure for us.

"I'm captain because all the time he was chatting with the chairman and selectors saying 'Younus should be the next captain."

This was the first time Pakistan had won a major international one-day tournament since Imran Khan's side lifted the 1992 World Cup in Australia.

As joyful, flag-waving, Pakistan fans celebrated noisily around Lord's, Younus said: "We talk all the time that this is our third final - me, Shahid and Razzaq chatted with the guys and said please let's hold our nerve."

No-one did that better than Afridi.

Known as an explosive if inconsistent hitter, the dangerous leg-spinner showed his class with the bat against Sri Lanka during a well-nigh faultless 40-ball innings featuring two sixes and two fours.

"Shahid Afridi, it was surprising batting from him taking singles," said Younus.

"He was fantastic with the ball as well," said the captain, who also highlighted the impact of reverse-swing star Umar Gul, whose five wickets against New Zealand were a Twenty20 international record.

Younus raised eyebrows earlier in a tournament where Pakistan were well-beaten by both England and Sri Lanka, after losing a warm-up match to India, by saying Twenty20 was all about fun for the fans.

"I chatted about this being a fun game and people took this the wrong way," he recalled.

AERIAL FIRING DURING CELEBRATIONS

Two people were killed while more than two dozen were injured in various incidents of celebratory firing in Karachi following Pakistan cricket team’s victory in the ICC T20 World Cup on Sunday.

Overwhelmed with emotions, the people of Karachi celebrated Pakistan’s historic victory at Lord’s Stadium by dancing on the streets and distributing sweets like everywhere else in the country. However, cricket madness compelled some to celebrate in an unruly fashion and they resorted to hooliganism, turning a time of joy into a moment of sorrow for others. A 10-year-old girl and a man were killed in separate incidents of celebratory firing, while more than two dozen were injured.

The relatives of the injured people have said that though they were ecstatic over the fact that the Pakistan team has become the new T20 world champions, their celebrations have been spoilt due to the irrational behavior of a few.

They complained that the police have time and again made tall claims of stringent measures to curb such activities, but no step is actually taken in this regard.

SRI LANKAN REACTION

Though disappointed over their team’s failure in the ICC T20 World Cup, the people of Sri Lanka believe that Pakistan outclassed the opposition in every department of the game. The citizens of Colombo while expressing their thoughts about T20 World Cup final have said that Pakistan put on a fine performance and their home team performed well throughout the tournament as well.

BLACKOUT DURING MATCH

Many cricket enthusiasts in various cities across the country were deprived of watching Pakistan cricket team’s sensational victory in the ICC T20 World Cup final due to power outages.

According to the Water and Power Ministry spokesman, Federal Minister for Water and Power had directed PEPCO to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to the people during the world cup final match.

However, different areas in Lahore, Mirpur Azad Kashmir, Mangla, Faisalabad, Chaman, Khyber Agency and other areas suffered power outages, and citizens also staged a protest rally in this regard in Hafizabad.

Many areas in Karachi also suffered the same problem and had to come up with alternative methods to avoid missing the world cup final such as watching it their relatives’ house.

SAMAA/AGENCIES