"I am not Mohammad Hafeez, I am Younis Khan" : Younis Khan

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Former Test cricketer Younis Khan disclosed the reasons behind his resignation from Pakistan team’s batting coach position.

Speaking in the ARY News show ’11th Hour’, Khan said a high-up from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had called him unexpectedly and asked to join the bio-secure bubble on June 20.

“I got a call from a PCB’s high-up and he asked me to join the bio-secure bubble in Lahore on June 20. I told him that I had a dental checkup and I won’t be able to join on the said date,” he shared.

“He then said ‘You will not be able to go to England. Don’t you know what had we done to Hafeez when he denied coming on the said date’? I stopped him there and said I am not Hafeez, I am Younis Khan. And, what you did with Hafeez was also not a big achievement,” the former captain revealed.

Khan also lamented the interruption of the National High-Performance Centre (NHPC)’s coaches in team affairs. “I was the batting coach but I wasn’t aware of who was coming to the camp. I didn’t have any issues with it but at least they should have told me about calling NHPC coaches,” he said.

“It is just like you are sitting in your personal drawing room with your wife dressed up and someone from outside comes in and sits on the main bed, what will be your feeling? It is how that matter was for me,” Younis elaborated.

The former cricketer once again clarified that his resignation has nothing to do with a little misunderstanding with Hasan Ali during the South Africa tour.

ARY

 

[MenInG]

The first person narrative continues.

 

[style_guru]

What surprises me is that, how did his fellow players & coaches kept up with YK during his 16 year long playing career?

With due respect to his achievements on the field, but the man seems to have an ego, higher than Everest.

 

[Salman4.]

Knew it. Every Younis Khan moment must have a first/third person line.

 

[Forum363]

Once again - absolutely ridiculous. Where are the posters who were defending him after the knife incident?

‘It wasn’t a sharp knife’

 

[Saj]

Younis Khan "I'm not allowed to talk about this for 6 months"

 

[UzmanBeast]

Younis Khan "I'm not allowed to talk about this for 6 months"

That's not good, this drama will be over by then. Someone close to him will probably leak at some point.

 

[MenInG]

Am sure there are legal implications of this - Younis cannot go around talking about this.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

KARACHI: Former Test cricketer Younis Khan disclosed the reasons behind his resignation from Pakistan team’s batting coach position.

Speaking in the ARY News show ’11th Hour’, Khan said a high-up from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had called him unexpectedly and asked to join the bio-secure bubble on June 20.

“I got a call from a PCB’s high-up and he asked me to join the bio-secure bubble in Lahore on June 20. I told him that I had a dental checkup and I won’t be able to join on the said date,” he shared.

“He then said ‘You will not be able to go to England. Don’t you know what had we done to Hafeez when he denied coming on the said date’? I stopped him there and said I am not Hafeez, I am Younis Khan. And, what you did with Hafeez was also not a big achievement,” the former captain revealed.

Khan also lamented the interruption of the National High-Performance Centre (NHPC)’s coaches in team affairs. “I was the batting coach but I wasn’t aware of who was coming to the camp. I didn’t have any issues with it but at least they should have told me about calling NHPC coaches,” he said.

“It is just like you are sitting in your personal drawing room with your wife dressed up and someone from outside comes in and sits on the main bed, what will be your feeling? It is how that matter was for me,” Younis elaborated.

The former cricketer once again clarified that his resignation has nothing to do with a little misunderstanding with Hasan Ali during the South Africa tour.

ARY

)))
This guy definitely has a screw lose.
Who talks like that on a live TV. Well, I will get my popcorn ready on weekend as I expect him to continue his shenanigans on Youtube shows of Rashid and Noman and Waheed. Expecting some more crazy stuff.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Am sure there are legal implications of this - Younis cannot go around talking about this.

Well if there is such a thing with PCB I reckon lot of motor mouths on youtube need to be sued.

 

[Bewal Express]

Ex players like YK are best used for specific assignments rather than big overall jobs. For example he would be good to work with young players on playing spin because quite simply he doesnt have the people skills and patience to work with others over a period of time. The other thing the PCB must stop doing is offering jobs to stop them talking on TV and on YouTube. Take your time to find good people and then offer them jobs.

 

[Ucdkee]

“It is just like you are sitting in your personal drawing room with your wife dressed up and someone from outside comes in and sits on the main bed, what will be your feeling?

ARY

Pure gold! :-D

How do you give such examples on national tv?

 

[Rana]

Doesn’t the PCB know, this is not Zlatan Ibrahimovic, its Younis Khan!

 

[Slim]

Good old YK, never change fam!

 

[gazza619]

A dental bloody check eh? The world is getting screwed over covid bio bubble and Younis Khan is still the same senseless Younis Khan.

 

[Varun]

Let's face it - it was always a question of when rather than if Younis Khan was going to blow his fuse in the role.

I'm no doctor, but I'm starting to place some credence in the mental stability theory mentioned in the other thread. No normal individual will behave the way Younis Khan does every now and then.

 

[OMB]

Ex players like YK are best used for specific assignments rather than big overall jobs. For example he would be good to work with young players on playing spin because quite simply he doesnt have the people skills and patience to work with others over a period of time. The other thing the PCB must stop doing is offering jobs to stop them talking on TV and on YouTube. Take your time to find good people and then offer them jobs.

That the reason PCB offering them jobs?

 

[Varun]

That the reason PCB offering them jobs?

Well it's no coincidence that some of the folks who have got jobs over the past year and a half were slowly but surely building up to a cacophony either on YouTube or on TV: Yousuf and Razzaq among them.

 

[Savak]

Am sure there are legal implications of this - Younis cannot go around talking about this.

Tbh I can't really blame him, the leaks started from the PCB

 

[Bewal Express]

That the reason PCB offering them jobs?

Thats the way it seems. You shout loudly and you get heard by the PCB. I am and always have been a believer that coaches add little in 99% of the cases. Good players will rise to the top if they are given opportunities on good wickets in good weather. The guys that will make a difference to PK cricket is the talent spotters to find the hidden gems.

 

[ads101]

Well it's no coincidence that some of the folks who have got jobs over the past year and a half were slowly but surely building up to a cacophony either on YouTube or on TV: Yousuf and Razzaq among them.

I'm starting to sympathise with the whole Oathgate situation. Maybe he really was that bad, that the players felt they had to team up to remove him. I thought it was just over jealously for captaincy initially or a little too demanding of his players.

The guy has some issues and never should have been appointed batting coach in the first place. Regardless of how unprofessional PCB have acted. It's a shame really because I think he does have a good cricketing brain and he probably was helping as batting coach looking at some of the batting performances from Pakistan of late.

 

[silentkiller187]

dental check, sounds like the kind of excuse i would make if i couldn't be bothered to turn up for work.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I love Younis Khan for the batsman that he was, and everything he achieved for Pakistan cricket. But the guy is just too much of a temperamental/volatile personality. And I would just be better off if he isn't involved with Pakistan cricket in any way.

 

[Ucdkee]

Its pretty obvious that he is referring to Yousuf. To add salt to the wounds 1 or 2 players actually credited yousuf for the improvement in their technique.

Now who is going to give moral support to the players on tours?

 

[Local.Dada]

Yunus Khan seems like the friend you want by your side when you are fighting a war but someone you want to keep away as far as possible when you are trying to negotiate a peace deal.

Comes across as a straightforward great guy but you need some amount of diplomacy and shrewdness to achieve your larger plans which he clearly lacks. Seems like a good human being though.

 

[Saj]

I worry about the mental health of some of our current and former players.

Seriously an issue that needs looking at.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Envy towards Mohammad Yousaf has been consuming him off late.

 

[rockyboy2018]

No wonder since 1992 Pakistan has not won a single world cup because of having players like him playing for Pakistan. They can not even sit in the same room without having personal issues. I do not know if it is a gene problem with Pakistanis but seriously I shudder to think about the mental level of these players when they involve a holy book like Koran for solving little issues. On the other hand, they ascribe every success to Bismillah and Allah etc.

 

[Kashmiri_Pak_fan]

It would be interesting to know what the "Main bed" was doing in the Drawing room?

 

[sarwar707]

It would be interesting to know what the "Main bed" was doing in the Drawing room?

I was thinking the same

 

[Yk313]

It would be interesting to know what the "Main bed" was doing in the Drawing room?

I was thinking the same

Have a feeling the floor plan of the house will be in the diary he kept doodling in during tours. May even be using his favourite knife as a bookmark for his diary.

 

[kingusama92]

“It is just like you are sitting in your personal drawing room with your wife dressed up and someone from outside comes in and sits on the main bed, what will be your feeling? It is how that matter was for me,” Younis elaborated."

) )

I didn't expect that at all.

What a quote.

 

[ChennaiFan]

Yunus Khan seems like the friend you want by your side when you are fighting a war but someone you want to keep away as far as possible when you are trying to negotiate a peace deal.

Comes across as a straightforward great guy but you need some amount of diplomacy and shrewdness to achieve your larger plans which he clearly lacks. Seems like a good human being though.

Yes, Younis Khan came across as a very good human being during his playing days. It appeared he did not get enough support from his team then. He is one of my all-time favorite players from Pakistan.

However, I am not sure he is a good fit for a coaching role with the senior team. I believe he can help juniors with coaching batting skills.

 

[Giannis]

I'm starting to sympathise with the whole Oathgate situation. Maybe he really was that bad, that the players felt they had to team up to remove him. I thought it was just over jealously for captaincy initially or a little too demanding of his players.

The guy has some issues and never should have been appointed batting coach in the first place. Regardless of how unprofessional PCB have acted. It's a shame really because I think he does have a good cricketing brain and he probably was helping as batting coach looking at some of the batting performances from Pakistan of late.

oath gate was about mohammad yousuf

 

[Yk313]

Yes, Younis Khan came across as a very good human being during his playing days. It appeared he did not get enough support from his team then. He is one of my all-time favorite players from Pakistan.

However, I am not sure he is a good fit for a coaching role with the senior team. I believe he can help juniors with coaching batting skills.

Good players do not necessarily make good coaches. Even if he had been mentally in sync with PCB / rest of the management, Younus was not even an orthodox batsman with the majority of his success being built on a regimented approach towards training and grit. Even his success against spin was skewed because of his reach and flexibility rather than being based on prevalent orthodoxies. Not to mention that he was a pedestrian ODI batsman for much of the second half of his career. Not sure to what extent his own approach could have been imparted upon the touring party.

In any case, his issues run deeper and are more about his mental state which can only hamper PAK for the time being.

In an ideal world this fleeting reunion would not have come to be at all as it was an experiment bound to fail. Arguably the only good thing to come out of this is that instead of PCB dishing out free paycheques and Younus collecting free meals for the next two years, they have decided to part ways early on. The only thing worse than leaving early on is to stay on for the tenure and later complain about not having had a free remit to do the job properly / blame it on the rest of the personnel.

 

[Saj]

“It is just like you are sitting in your personal drawing room with your wife dressed up and someone from outside comes in and sits on the main bed, what will be your feeling? It is how that matter was for me,” Younis elaborated."

First time I have come across a bed being in the drawing room?

 

[Maher96]

What a bitter man. From all what I can hear from this Interview it was Zakir Khan vs YK… Zakir seems to be a problem maker in YK eyes, not giving his sue notice about a bubble and then this “dental excuse” he’s coming out with make no sense.

He is just using the media time and bringing back 2009 champions trophy, he blames some sort of infighting for the conflict on 2009.

From what it seemed it’s Afridi he’s having a go at, supposedly he wanted the captaincy.

But then it seems he blames Misbah too but he didn’t feature in the final just in the defeat to Australia.

Overall shambles our ex cricketers.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Okay listened to all his interviews he has been giving to Badami and other guys on Pakistani channels, who are clearly minting this for selling advertisement on their channels and making some money.

The kind of language they use, the way they are talking about their fellow players naming and shaming some directly, and firing innuendos indirectly at some big names of Pakistan cricket e.g. Rashid saying the ones running PSL teams currently were responsible for Younis's departure as captain in 2009.

But, in all this, the name of PCB and Pakistan cricket goes down in the dirt with such back biting and back scratching and politics.

I as an Indian fan, must admit after seeing so much of politics in Pakistan cricket now, that it is really a miracle that Pakistan has a top 4-5 capable team and they still win tournaments here and there.
There is no semblance of any structured thinking, honesty and integrity among the ex-players and organisers running the cricketing matters. Sad state of affairs really.

 

[JibranAnsari]

I worry about the mental health of some of our current and former players.

Seriously an issue that needs looking at.

they do not play high impact sport like football or boxing , its the arrogance and ego which gets better of them.

 

[JibranAnsari]

We must all appreciate misbah for having a balanced head , apparently thats a rarity when it comes to pakistani players. The guy has heard so many negative things about him and mostly uncalled for but still has always kept his dignity.

 

[Kroll]

Some utterly bonkers quotes from YK.

He needs to be handled with care at all times otherwise the fuse just explodes.

 

[Savak]

We must all appreciate misbah for having a balanced head , apparently thats a rarity when it comes to pakistani players. The guy has heard so many negative things about him and mostly uncalled for but still has always kept his dignity.

Its easy to do that when you get paid very handsomely for being a blind yes man. Have never ever seen Misbah put his hand up and take responsibility or threaten to resign over anything either as captain or coach.

 

[shaz619]

I worry about the mental health of some of our current and former players.

Seriously an issue that needs looking at.

Khan as a player was a fighting man and some if it reflects in his personality to so there is little diplomacy to expect from him, on the mental part I think there are pros and cons of his current state, pro being how the horrors he experienced in his life developed his strength of character and spirit but the negative side these out bursts, a board is meant to help with stuff outside the field but Pak also has a cultural issue when it comes to such problems while a board like the ECB is more likely to support their employees and develop them accordingly at an early stage, the academy in lboro also gives extensive media training to young players.

 

[Rana]

I hope that there is a biopic made on his life and the actor playing his role should be Akshay Kumar.

It should be called Houseful 5.

 

[GudduBadmash]

Envy towards Mohammad Yousaf has been consuming him off late.

He has far surpassed Yousuf as a Test Batsman. World Cup Winning captain too. What envy would that be?

 

[Pakpak]

Okay listened to all his interviews he has been giving to Badami and other guys on Pakistani channels, who are clearly minting this for selling advertisement on their channels and making some money.

The kind of language they use, the way they are talking about their fellow players naming and shaming some directly, and firing innuendos indirectly at some big names of Pakistan cricket e.g. Rashid saying the ones running PSL teams currently were responsible for Younis's departure as captain in 2009.

But, in all this, the name of PCB and Pakistan cricket goes down in the dirt with such back biting and back scratching and politics.

I as an Indian fan, must admit after seeing so much of politics in Pakistan cricket now, that it is really a miracle that Pakistan has a top 4-5 capable team and they still win tournaments here and there.
There is no semblance of any structured thinking, honesty and integrity among the ex-players and organisers running the cricketing matters. Sad state of affairs really.

Hit the nail on the head. Its always been like this, before we had superb talent to pepper over these deep issues. Now we don't.

 

[Saj]

We must all appreciate misbah for having a balanced head , apparently thats a rarity when it comes to pakistani players. The guy has heard so many negative things about him and mostly uncalled for but still has always kept his dignity.

Absolutely.

Despite all the nasty comments directed at him by many, he never stopped to that level.

 

[adzzy786]

‘I am Younis Khan’
Who does he think he is? He has always been mentally unstable and he should never have been put in a leadership role as this was bound to happen. I’m glad he’s been relieved of his duties and hopefully he’s nothing to do with the Pakistan team ever again

 

[Rana]

On a serious note.

Mohammad Hafeez is a far, far superior ODI and T20 batsman in comparison to Younis Khan.

 

[topspin]

I don't condone some of the stuff YK has come up with of late BUT do not forget he is Pakistan's best cricketer out of the players who have debuted since the turn of the century (from 2000).

The problem in Pakistan cricket are the toxic ex-players with their attitude of self-entitlement and arrogance and no I'm not just referring to our legends (like Javed Miandad and co) but more to do with the mediocre players (such as Basit Ali and etc) who didn't have much of a career.

When a player of Younis Khan's class has surpassed every Pakistani cricketer who has debuted since 2000 and gone on to break the record of the most centuries and runs scored for Pakistan in test cricket, he's going to have a big head, especially having witnessed the arrogance and toxicity of medicore ex-players during his time as a player.

We all know Misbah is incompetent and has a low cricketing IQ. Younis Khan has every right to feel bitter to see him given the Head Coach and Chief Selector responsibilities.

All the responses have been very one sided without showing any consideration into the circumstances and environment that Younis has experienced during his time as a professional cricketer.

 

[Rana]

I dont understand why Younis Khan is still trying to work in cricket? This guy can easily land a role in Bollywood as a villain or mafia boss. He is still as athletic as Hrithik Roshan with his reflexes and he is quite a terrifying person when angry. I would love to see him in Dhoom 5 or Race 4 in the lead negative role. Why is this legend wasting his theatrical talent in cricket where the scope for audience isn't as wide ranged as Bollywood?

 

[shaz619]

On a serious note.

Mohammad Hafeez is a far, far superior ODI and T20 batsman in comparison to Younis Khan.

Younis Khan had a fantastic WT20 tournament in 2009 though and inspired his country to a win and is on another planet altogether in Tests, Hafeez may as well pass off as Khan’s son in that regard to be fair

 

[shaz619]

I dont understand why Younis Khan is still trying to work in cricket? This guy can easily land a role in Bollywood as a villain or mafia boss. He is still as athletic as Hrithik Roshan with his reflexes and he is quite a terrifying person when angry. I would love to see him in Dhoom 5 or Race 4 in the lead negative role. Why is this legend wasting his theatrical talent in cricket where the scope for audience isn't as wide ranged as Bollywood?

Or maybe try Boxing so he can line up all the useless / bare bums who talk rubbish about him and legally putting an end to their misery

 

[Rana]

Younis Khan had a fantastic WT20 tournament in 2009 though and inspired his country to a win and is on another planet altogether in Tests, Hafeez may as well pass off as Khan’s son in that regard to be fair

But Misbah also had an ATG world T20 2007. My argument is that if we all had a choice to pick Hafeez or YK in our All time Pakistan XI for ODIs and T20s, you would have to be crazy to pick YK over Hafeez.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

My respect for YK has gone down a lot in recent years. Its surprising when I remember that around 10 years ago or so, there was no Pakistani cricketer I respected nearly as much as I respected this man.

 

[shaz619]

But Misbah also had an ATG world T20 2007. My argument is that if we all had a choice to pick Hafeez or YK in our All time Pakistan XI for ODIs and T20s, you would have to be crazy to pick YK over Hafeez.

No one is going to pick Misbah or Hafeez in an ODI XI though either maybe Hafeez would get into a T20 team, but in terms of a notable LOI accomplishment, the 2009 win is massive and euphoric for majority of Pak fans and the first title since 92, I remember the scenes here in England it was a special moment for Pakistan also after the terror attacks on Lanka and calls for Pak to be banned, so its a big feather in YK’s cap

 

[shaz619]

My respect for YK has gone down a lot in recent years. Its surprising when I remember that around 10 years ago or so, there was no Pakistani cricketer I respected nearly as much as I respected this man.

Younis Khan may have turned into New Jack but he is a complex guy, not everyone is familiar with his back story off the field which I think has contributed to his edge, great players always have some sort of edge to them, Pakistan fans should be thankful for him carrying their batting more then anything really

 

[Rellu_Katta]

biggest loser...... a big cricketer but a small small smallllll man

 

[Mamoon]

On a serious note.

Mohammad Hafeez is a far, far superior ODI and T20 batsman in comparison to Younis Khan.

Younis Khan from 2004 to 2008 batted at a level that is above what Hafeez has managed in ODIs at any point in his career.

Unfortunately, after 2011 when there was a shift in the tempo of the format, he could not keep up and his limitations were badly exposed over the next 4 years.

He should have never played an ODI after the 2011 World Cup.

 

[Abid Z]

Thats the way it seems. You shout loudly and you get heard by the PCB. I am and always have been a believer that coaches add little in 99% of the cases. Good players will rise to the top if they are given opportunities on good wickets in good weather. The guys that will make a difference to PK cricket is the talent spotters to find the hidden gems.

I’m not sure if I can completely agree with you there. Coaches obviously have some role to play eg graham gooch was fantastic for Alistar cook and terry Jenner for Shane warne. But of course Greg Chappell did nothing for SRT so it can go both ways.

But in Pak cricket is seems coaching is less a meritocracy but more about playing records and shouting matches esp in public. I honestly think the biggest problem for pak cricket isn’t the 11 on the field it’s the army of ineptitude sitting behind the scenes

 

[topspin]

On a serious note.

Mohammad Hafeez is a far, far superior ODI and T20 batsman in comparison to Younis Khan.

Not in the 2000s. If I'm not mistaken Hafeez was averaging like 20 (or something like that) during that period.

Younis Khan was by no means a world class ODI batsman but he still managed to maintain a 30+ average and score hundreds and produce clutch knocks. Unlike YK, Hafeez has never turned up in a ICC white ball tournament (apart from the CT final).

Younis Khan had a very good 2009 WT20 with the bat and his tactical nous as captain helped Pakistan win that tournament.

Also not to forget out of all the players who have debuted for Pakistan since 2000, he has comfortably been our best player so lets give him some respect bro.

I don't think we will produce a test batsman as good as him in our lifetime.

 

[topspin]

Younis Khan from 2004 to 2008 batted at a level that is above what Hafeez has managed in ODIs at any point in his career.

Unfortunately, after 2011 when there was a shift in the tempo of the format, he could not keep up and his limitations were badly exposed over the next 4 years.

He should have never played an ODI after the 2011 World Cup.

Spot on.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Cricket Australia Invites Younis Khan to Star-Studded Festival​

Cricket Australia is set to host a grand cricket festival this summer, featuring some of the sport’s most iconic figures, including Pakistan legend Younis Khan, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and former Test fast bowler Damien Fleming. The event will occur on October 5 at Melbourne’s iconic Federation Squad

Alongside Maxwell, Younis Khan—Pakistan’s former T20 World Cup-winning captain—and Damien Fleming, a 1999 Cricket World Cup champion with Australia, will be part of the celebrations. Joining them will be Victorian cricket captain Will Sutherland and rising star Hasrat Gill, an Australian Women’s U19 cricketer.

The three-hour event promises to be a cricketing extravaganza, designed to create excitement ahead of Melbourne’s international and Big Bash League (BBL) matches this summer. It will cater to multicultural cricket fans, with appearances by the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and BBL players, providing autograph sessions and opportunities to take photos with the Men’s and Women’s ICC World Cup trophies.

Joel Morrison, Executive General Manager of Events and Operations at Cricket Australia, expressed his enthusiasm for the festival and the chance for fans to connect with the sport and its stars. “All cricket fans and aspiring players are invited to the Cricket Festival at Federation Square on Saturday, October 5, to celebrate the upcoming blockbuster summer of cricket and to meet some of their heroes,” Morrison said.

“Throughout the afternoon, fans will have the opportunity to participate in various cricket activities, get up close and personal with the ICC World Cup and Big Bash League trophies, and engage with activations by the Melbourne Stars, Renegades, and Kayo Sports,” Morrison continued. “We can’t wait to share in the excitement of the upcoming summer with cricket fans.”

 

[topspin]

Cricket Australia Invites Younis Khan to Star-Studded Festival​

Cricket Australia is set to host a grand cricket festival this summer, featuring some of the sport’s most iconic figures, including Pakistan legend Younis Khan, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and former Test fast bowler Damien Fleming. The event will occur on October 5 at Melbourne’s iconic Federation Squad

Alongside Maxwell, Younis Khan—Pakistan’s former T20 World Cup-winning captain—and Damien Fleming, a 1999 Cricket World Cup champion with Australia, will be part of the celebrations. Joining them will be Victorian cricket captain Will Sutherland and rising star Hasrat Gill, an Australian Women’s U19 cricketer.

The three-hour event promises to be a cricketing extravaganza, designed to create excitement ahead of Melbourne’s international and Big Bash League (BBL) matches this summer. It will cater to multicultural cricket fans, with appearances by the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) and BBL players, providing autograph sessions and opportunities to take photos with the Men’s and Women’s ICC World Cup trophies.

Joel Morrison, Executive General Manager of Events and Operations at Cricket Australia, expressed his enthusiasm for the festival and the chance for fans to connect with the sport and its stars. “All cricket fans and aspiring players are invited to the Cricket Festival at Federation Square on Saturday, October 5, to celebrate the upcoming blockbuster summer of cricket and to meet some of their heroes,” Morrison said.

“Throughout the afternoon, fans will have the opportunity to participate in various cricket activities, get up close and personal with the ICC World Cup and Big Bash League trophies, and engage with activations by the Melbourne Stars, Renegades, and Kayo Sports,” Morrison continued. “We can’t wait to share in the excitement of the upcoming summer with cricket fans.”

Richly deserved. Good to see Cricket Australia invite a proper Pakistani player who had a good record there.

The same cannot be said about Misbah, who was ridiculed by Ian Chappell and Channel 9 comm. box. Thank God he was not invited. He was an awful batsman on hard, bouncy wickets and made a mockery of the game when he bowled Yasir Shah to the ground with his leg-side packed fields. There is no doubt he was the worst ever captain in tests played in Australia.