Younis backs Inzamam for World Cup captaincy

RAWALPINDI—Stand-in skipper Younis Khan has called for appointing Inzamamul Haq as World Cup captain and was confident that the Pakistan team could win the upcoming One-Day series against the West Indies if it stuck to basics.
Younis was speaking to reporters on Monday on the eve of weather-threatened first fixture of the five-match One Day Internationals series against the West Indies. Younis and Windies captain Brian Lara unveiled the Bank Alfalah Trophy for the One-Day series which may start with a possible wash- out at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
“We have to move on and prepare for the first match, rain or no rain”, said Brian Lara when asked to comment on the unabated two- days of rains in the twin cities with more wet weather forecast for Tuesday.
He disagreed that Pakistan had a psychological advantage after winning the three-Test series 2-0. “We have been giving consistent performance for the past six months in One-Day cricket”, he said. He pointed that West Indies had been runners-up in two recent tournaments—Champions Trophy in India and DLF Cup in Malaysia. To a question, Lara said Pakistan batsman Muhammad Yousuf, who broke two world records in the Test series, was an example to follow for aspiring young batsmen “not only in Pakistan but the world over”.
“We can win the One-Day series as well if we stick to the basics”, Pakistan stand-in captain Younis Khan said. “In cricket, you win if you perform well on a given day”.
To a question, he said he favoured making regular skipper Inzamamul Haq captain till the World Cup to be played in the West Indies in March-April 2007.
Inzie is doing well and tension about the World Cup skipper should be ended”, Younis said.
The first one-day at Pindi Cricket Stadium will be the fourth and last match to be missed by Inzamam due to ban imposed by ICC after Oval Test incident.
To a question about the future of fast bowlers Shoaib Akhterand Muhammad Asif, the stand-in captain Younis said he personally wanted the best Pakistan team to play in the World Cup.
Brian Lara said the World Cup in the West Indies would be good opportunity to reinvigorate cricket in the Caribbean where the pitches will be good for batting with home side usually doing well on its own soil.—Agencies