Afridi requests Yousuf to come out of retirement
Pakistan's captain for the Asia Cup and the tour of England, has stepped up efforts to convince Mohammad Yousuf to come out of retirement
Cricinfo staff
27-May-2010
Shahid Afridi: "We will certainly need Mohammad Yousuf's services in England" • AFP
Shahid Afridi, Pakistan's captain for the Asia Cup and the tour of England, has stepped up efforts to convince Mohammad Yousuf to come out of retirement and bolster the side's potentially tough Test assignment in England, where they face off against the hosts and Australia.
"I've talked to Yousuf and I've also talked to a few elders, who can influence him to come out of retirement for the sake of Pakistan," Afridi told the News. "I am sure that he would listen to them and change his mind about retiring from international cricket. We will certainly need his services in England."
Yousuf announced his retirement from the game following the ban issued by the PCB after Pakistan's unsuccessful tour of Australia. Of the seven punished players, he was the only one to not file a formal appeal against the punishments imposed. On Tuesday, Pakistan announced the 35-member list of probables for the two upcoming tours. Five of the punished players, including Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik who are currently serving bans that are due to be reviewed, were included in the long list, but Yousuf was not considered.
The England tour begins in end-June, and Afridi is confident that there is enough time for Yousuf to prepare for the tour even if he is included in the eleventh hour. "Yousuf is a great batsman and I'm sure that even if he just plays in a couple of warm-up matches before the Test series, he will be ready for the tough assignment. He won't need much time to get ready for the tour."
Yousuf confirmed that Afridi has been in discussions with him over a possible comeback. "Yes Afridi called me up and we spoke at length about the cricket scenario. I told him I took the decision to retire after seeking advice from my elders and I can only take back the retirement decision if my elders give me permission to do this," Yousuf said.
Since embracing Islam, Yousuf has sought out religious elders during his trips to Raiwind and on preaching missions. He is known to follow their advice before making important decisions.