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I'd decided to quit if we won - Younis

Younis Khan has said that he had decided even before the World Cup started that he would retire from Twenty20 format if Pakistan won the tournament

Cricinfo staff
23-Jun-2009
Younis Khan: "It was in my mind before going to the World Cup that if we win it I will retire from Twenty20 cricket"  •  Getty Images

Younis Khan: "It was in my mind before going to the World Cup that if we win it I will retire from Twenty20 cricket"  •  Getty Images

Younis Khan has said that he had decided even before the World Cup started that he would retire from Twenty20 cricket if Pakistan won the tournament. He also said his statement about Twenty20 cricket being a fun game was part of his plan to ease the pressure off his players.
"It's not a disaster for Pakistan if we fail to qualify for [the] Super Eight round because this Twenty20 cricket is all about fun, though its an international but it's all a fun game," Younis had said at the start of the World Cup. Now, after winning the cup, Younis has revealed that it was part of a well-thought out plan.
"It was in my mind before going to the World Cup that if we win it I will retire from Twenty20 cricket," Younis told the Pakistan television channel Geo. Younis said he was confident about the success of Pakistan's campaign. "We felt if we played consistently and played seriously we can win it. I was cool and calm and knew if we played well we can win. I had worked a lot during the series against Australia which affected my performance but I think the way we worked hard it paid [off] in the World Cup. Like all my other countrymen I am also proud to win the World Cup. Like in the last World Cup we came very close to winning it, but we could not."
Younis said that he chanced upon the ideal playing combination during the Super Eight games. "When we won last match in the Super Eights I knew which combination we have to play with, lots of players like Misbah, myself, Shoaib Malik and even Fawad Alam did not bat in the last few matches as our team clicked at the right time."
He also said he wanted to give opportunities to youngsters like Shahzaib and Mohammad Aamer so that it would benefit Pakistan in the upcoming Tests and ODIs.