Younis seeks a break, PCB appoints Yousuf as captain

Karachi, Nov 11 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wednesday appointed senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf as the new captain for the three-match Test series against New Zealand after Younis Khan made himself unavailable for the upcoming assignment.

'Younis has requested the PCB for a break from international cricket and hence will skip the Test series against New Zealand,' a PCB statement said. 'Mohammad Yousuf has been named captain and Kamran Akmal as his deputy (for the series),' it added.

Younis was under pressure after Pakistan's 1-2 defeat in the three-match one-day series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. He scored just 22 runs in the three matches.

Pakistan also lost to New Zealand in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy in South Africa last month.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said Younis sought a break from cricket following the series defeat against New Zealand. He said that the PCB opted for the experienced Yousuf as captain for the series against New Zealand that will get underway later this month.

Yousuf, 35, is one of Pakistan cricket's most prolific batsmen having scored 7,023 runs from 82 Tests and 9,543 runs from 278 one-dayers.

He was banned by the PCB after he switched to the rebel Indian cricket league in 2007 but was pardoned after he broke ties with the Twenty20 league earlier this year.

Yousuf said that he feels honoured. 'It is a great honour for me to lead Pakistan once again after being away from my team for quite a long spell,' said Yousuf.

'I will try my best to keep the team united and get the best out of it in New Zealand where Pakistan will be playing a tough series,' he said.

Pakistan are scheduled to leave for New Zealand from Dubai over the weekend after playing two back-to-back Twenty20 games against the Kiwis.