Senior batsman Younis Khan wants India and Pakistan to set aside their strained relations and resume five-day matches as both were giants of the game.
“It’s my wish to play a Test in Pakistan again, play against India and against all top teams,” Younis told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. “India and Pakistan are two giants of cricket - one No. 1 and the other No. 2 - so whatever the situation between the two nations it must be forgotten and cricket should be played, people want to watch them play.”
There has been no Test cricket between the two nations since 2007. Bilateral cricket ties were severed in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan. Pakistan did tour India in December, 2012, for a short limited-overs series but that failed to revive full ties, including Tests.
The political relation between the two countries has deteriorated since last month’s attacks on a military base in Indian-administered Kashmir, again blamed on militants from Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) repeatedly snubbed Pakistan’s calls for resumption of ties in the current scenario.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants BCCI to honour its commitment of six series between 2015-2023 under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2014. Under the MoU, Pakistan was due to host a series last year and was due in India next year but considering the strained relations, there are no signs of immediate cricket between the arch rivals.
Younis said the situation was deplorable.
'Unmatched interest'
“Whenever we play India, people watch the game with unmatched interest and the game gets good promotion in the region, it should be played and played regularly,” insisted Younis, who was part of Pakistan’s last Test tour to India in 2007.
The 38-year-old returns for Pakistan in the second Test against West Indies starting in Abu Dhabi on Friday after missing the first Test - a day-night affair with the pink ball in Dubai - as he was recovering from dengue fever. Younis, Pakistan’s top run-getter in Tests with 9,456 runs, hopes he gets to 10,000 runs in the near future.
“I never go after records,” said Younis, who compiled a monumental 218 against England in his last Test at The Oval. “It’s my wish to be in that elite group of 10,000 runs because there is no Pakistani in that group.”
Younis reckons Pakistan’s good showing in Tests has increased support for the the five-day format. “People now talk about us as a Test team and people who used to stay away from Tests are now coming back,” he said.
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