LAHORE, Pakistan, 17 October 2003 — Differences over the delegation of powers between the selectors and Pakistan team management flared up again on the eve of the first Test against South Africa.
Stand-in skipper Yousuf Youhana said he would have included batsman Younis Khan to boost his inexperienced side.
Younis, with 28 Tests behind him and a batting average of 37, was omitted by the selectors after indifferent form in the one-day series which South Africa won 3-2.
At a pre-match media conference yesterday Youhana conceded he was not consulted by the selectors in the finalization of the 16-member Test squad. “No, I was not consulted by the selectors and I just got the team the next day. Younis is a experienced batsman and should be in the team,” he said.
Youhana suggested questions on the selection and the delegation of powers were put to the cricket board or selectors.
“I just work in this system and I have more to worry about (in the form of) cricket,” he said. Today, Pakistan go into the first Test of the two-Test series without their most seasoned batsman and captain Inzamam-ul Haq who is down with a hamstring injury.
Youhana, leading the team for the first time in a Test, indicated Pakistan would play three spinners including the two leg spinners Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish Kaneria with Shoaib Malik as back-up and two fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.
