Pak team’s lack of Test cricket behind defeat in Sri Lanka: Younis

August 22nd, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan's former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz feels that team captain Younis Khan should retire from international cricket and hand over the mantle to Shahid Afridi. Sarfaraz, 60, said that Younis has failed as a captain and should be replaced by Afridi.

August 13th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has stepped in support of middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf, saying he needs time to settle down after staging a comeback following a long lay-off from international cricket. "He is back in the team and before that he was out of international cricket for quite a while.

August 12th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan refused to talk to journalists gathered at the Karachi International Airport, when he returned home after the Sri Lankan tour on Tuesday. The Daily Times quoted Younis as saying: "I don't want to make any comments now, we will talk later." It is believed that Younis was unhappy at the negative media coverage showered on the side during the Sri Lanka tour.

August 12th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan captain Younis Khan has defended Mohammad Yousuf in spite of his below-par showing in the recently-concluded one-day series against Sri Lanka, saying that the premier batsman will take his time to adjust to the demands of international cricket. Younis said Wednesday that Yousuf has returned after a gap of over a year, and that there is a big difference between playing the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and international cricket.

August 5th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistani skipper Younis Khan has blamed the flawed domestic set-up for Pakistan cricket team's dismal ODI series loss to Sri Lanka. "Instead, the poor structure back home is to blame.

August 3rd, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan captain Younis Khan has appealed to cricket fans to stop blaming 'groupism' in his team for its below-par performance in the current tour of Sri Lanka. Younis said in an interview Monday that he believes the main reason for his players' failure to play well during the tour lay in the poor structure back home.

July 27th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has vehemently denied rumours of divisions in his team, saying he would step down if such a problem existed. In an emotional interview to Daily Jang Monday, Younis stressed that there were no problems in the Pakistan team and speculations of infighting in the dressing room are being spread by some people with vested interest.

July 16th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan is aghast with the way several former cricketers have criticized him after losing two consecutive Test matches against Sri Lanka, and blamed poor team spirit for humiliating defeats. In an interview with a private television channel, a visibly upset Khan said he should not be blamed for the below par performance of senior players.

July 15th, 2009 KARACHI - Former Pakistan cricketers have blamed poor team spirit for the team's defeat to Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test. The Pakistan batting order collapsed like a house of cards in the second innings of the second Test match on Tuesday resulting in a seven wicket loss.

July 15th, 2009 COLOMBO - Upset over his team's defeat in the second Test match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan captain Younis Khan has said he needs more time to 'rebuild' the team which has played "very little cricket over the last 18 months". Talking to media persons here, Khan said the players needed more time to adapt and blamed the lack of international exposure for the team's lackluster performance in both Test matches "Give this team some time, don't point fingers too early.

July 14th, 2009 COLOMBO - Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by seven wickets inside three days in the second cricket Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. Pakistan collapsed to 320 in their second innings, losing their last nine wickets for just 35 runs.

July 8th, 2009 KARACHI - A fortnight after their team's World Twenty20 triumph at Lords, Pakistan cricket fans had a rude awakening Tuesday when Younis Khans men crashed to a 50-run defeat in their first Test against Sri Lanka from a seemingly winning position at Galle. The defeat means that Pakistan's poor run in Test cricket continues as it has failed to win a single Test in the last 30 months.

July 3rd, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan all rounder Shahid Afridi has said that Sri Lanka Test series would be challenging for the players, as they would have to change gear from the Twenty20 format of the game to the five-day mode. Afridi said players would also have to make adjustments due to the different and challenging weather conditions in Sri Lanka.

June 30th, 2009 COLOMBO - As middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf makes his way back into the Pakistan team for the Test series against Sri Lanka, captain Younis Khan has said performance, and not big names, matter in the game. Talking to media persons on the sidelines of a function where the trophy for the Test series was unveiled, Khan expressed hope that his team would start from where it had left in England after winning the ICC World Twenty20 Championship.

June 26th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan captain Younis Khan Friday asked his team to put behind the celebrations of their World Twenty20 triumph and focus on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka that begins June 27. We will have to leave our World Cup win behind and focus on what is a very tough assignment against Sri Lanka, Younis, who led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 championship win in England earlier this month, said at a reception hosted by Habib Bank Limited (HBL).