Youngsters will keep pressure on out-of form seniors: Younis

Karachi, Aug 8

Pakistan captain Younis Khan hoped that the success of youngsters Fawad Alam and Umar Akmal will keep the pressure on senior batsmen to perform well.

After his team's 146-run triumph over Sri Lanka in Colombo Friday night, Younis said that it is very important for Pakistan to have talented rookies in the side because they are the ones who can force the more established players to give their best in order to keep their place in the squad.

"The rise of players like Fawad Alam and Umar Akmal is great news for Pakistan," said Younis, whose team tasted its first win on the otherwise awful tour of Sri Lanka on Friday night. "It will bring the senior players under pressure. They know now that to stay in the team, they will have to start performing well."

Fawad scored a brilliant century on his Test debut but failed to help Pakistan win the match. The tourists lost the three-match Test series 0-2 to suffer what was Pakistan's first ever Test series defeat on Sri Lankan soil.

Umar, the younger brother of Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, hit a brilliant 66 in the third one-dayer and then scored an unbeaten ton Friday night to guide his team to its first win on the tour.

Experts have blamed the below-par showing of senior players like former captain Shoaib Malik, vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf for Pakistan's pathetic showing on the tour of Sri Lanka.

Younis, however, believes that the seniors will soon return to form otherwise they will be facing the axe.

Younis also rejected allegations from a former Pakistan Test cricketer that some of his team-mates could be involved in match-fixing.

"If one gets up to Rs.900,000 for a single match, then why would he want to earn money through illegal means?" he asked.

Former Pakistan Test spinner Abdul Qadir, who resigned as chief selector in June this year, alleged that there could be some match-fixers in the Pakistan team and demanded a probe into reports that bookies tried to contact the players during the Test series against Sri Lanka. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken serious note of the allegation and is expected to sue Qadir over his remarks.

(IANS)