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Younis Khan's sudden ODI retirement borne out of pride and an admission of failures

Younis Khan's sudden ODI retirement borne out of pride and an admission of failures

Shocking as it may be, Younis Khan’s sudden retirement from One-day cricket on the morning of the first ODI against England, seems an admission of failure to reach the high goals that he had always set for himself, rather than any other external pressure. Pride was the reason Younis pushed so hard for a return to the ODI team, such was his desperation to go out on his own terms with a bang. However, to many of his critics his last innings, a tame effort of nine runs, was a sad reminder of why it was necessary for him to move away from this format of the game.

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The thirty-seven year old batsman, who recently became Pakistan’s highest run-getter in Test matches, was also the second Pakistan captain after the great Imran Khan to lift an ICC trophy when he lead the Pakistan team to victory in the 2009 World T20 at Lord’s. On that occasion he announced his retirement from the T20 format at the post-match press conference, bowing out from the game having reached its summit.

Whilst the World T20 victory was a crowning moment in his quest for greatness in all formats of the game, the fact is that for a man of his talents and determination, the success in England should have translated to a much better, more consistent future in the fifty over format of the game. What had been a promising start in 2000 when he scored 46 in his first ODI against Sri Lanka did not materialise into an 50-over career of note. Whilst Younis was at pains to express his belief in his ability to overcome all hurdles in his way and show the world he was equally home in all formats of the game, his statistics tell a different story.

The problem for Younis was that the ODI game has moved on since the heady days of the Imran Khan-inspired 1992 World Cup triumph in Melbourne and he was finding it difficult to adjust to a world where high strike rates were the order of the day and the ability to anchor an innings did not simply mean preserving wickets by holding down an end. Fast scoring batsmen are the kings of this format which meant that Younis - with a strike rate of just over 75 and an average of 31.24 - would have to offer something extraordinary to his team to remain part of the ODI setup.

Despite his obvious failings in the ODI format, Younis was selected for the 2015 World Cup in Australia/New Zealand with the selectors banking on his experience and calm head to counter any references to his less than satisfactory ODI record. Three low scores - 6, 0 and 37 - in that tournament seemed to indicate that even his most ardent supporters were beginning to find it difficult to lend a helping hand. He was duly ignored in the following series despite his vociferous and public protestations to the contrary.

The Test series against England in the UAE brought glory to Younis in the shape of becoming the highest Test run scorer, beating the record held by Javed Miandad. With his success in Tests, came the familiar calls for his inclusion in the ODI squad. The hue and cry that followed his selection for the four match ODI series may have had a bearing on his decision to retire. But for a man who has been driven for most of his career by the dream of retiring at the top of his game, it would have been a tough decision and not taken lightly. It is indeed sad that a career which has brought so much joy to Pakistan fans in Test matches could not provide the same satisfaction in ODIs. It would therefore be a travesty if in today’s world where gate receipts and television ratings mean more than anything else, Younis’ failings in the shorter formats were remembered more than his greater achievements in the Test arena.

Younis’ legacy as a Test cricketer of great pedigree may have been tarnished by his obsession for success in the fifty over format. His usual immaculate timing on the field was not echoed off of it when he shocked all present by announcing his ODI retirement in the UAE capital. However, in the eyes of the majority he remains a legend of the game and it was more his desire to succeed rather than any other motive which made him make several comebacks in ODIs. Next stop though for Younis is the target of 10,000 runs in Test cricket, which given both his hunger to succeed and ambition is not beyond him.


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