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Journalism of Courage
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 on Thursday, Youhana conceded he was not consulted by the selectors in the finalisation of the 16-member Test squad.
8220;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,8221; he said.
On Friday, 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. They are woefully short on experience in comparison to the South Africans.
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.
South African captain Graeme Smith promised to put behind them the ill-feeling from the one-dayers. Punishments over various spats included a ban of a one one-day match and two Tests for South African all-rounder Andrew Hall and suspending Smith for a one-dayer.
8220;We crossed the line and we got punished. We have discussed it and we have learnt from our mistakes,8221; Smith said. Reuters
