Indefinite ban Vs Indefinite retirement
on March 30th, 2010 at 10:36 pmReacting to the indefinite ban imposed on him and on not getting a central contract, Mohammad Yousuf announced his retirement from International cricket.
Like the ban imposed on Yousuf, his retirement decision is also not definite.
When asked by a journalist that:
‘Why are you retiring?’
“After the Australia tour I got a letter from the PCB which said that me staying in the team is harmful to the team and Pakistan cricket,” he answered. “I don’t want to cause harm to Pakistan cricket. Everyone has their own thinking and the disciplinary committee has its own thinking and I haven’t understood the reasons for it, or senior players, or the public.”
‘Is this a final decision?’ asked another.
“Filhaal, this is what I can see, that my playing for Pakistan is damaging.”
He said that he is retiring from international cricket “for now”.
He will continue to play International leagues and domestic cricket to keep himself fit and apparently is trying to keep the doors open for PCB to beg and plead him to come back.
If Yousaf thought that the ban imposed on him was not fair he could have easily filed an appeal with the appellate tribunal which comprises of two High court judges and does not include any PCB officials. He would have gotten a fair hearing.
So why he didn’t go to the appellate tribunal like Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi?
PCB formed this inquiry committee to find the reasons about the teams poor performance in Australia and especially the loss in Sydney test match.
PCB hasn’t made the details of the inquiry committee’s report or it’s proceedings public and apparently is withholding a lot of information. In an organization where people in the past have gotten away with serious code of conduct violations like drug abuse, matchfixing, and carrying out revolts against the team administration it’s hard to believe that someone will get an indefinite ban for just having a clash with a team mate. The fact that Yousaf being one of the best batsman the country has ever produced doesn’t want to appeal and preferred to retire clearly indicates that PCB has a strong case against him, he knows that he will not be able to defend it and any information leaking out of the appellate tribunal might further tarnish his reputation.
It is interesting to note that PCB within 24 hours after imposing life bans on Younis and Yousuf said that the bans were indefinite and were not life bans and both players will remain available for selection.
So why Yousuf took such a drastic step as retirement?
He very cleverly chose the same route which he has successfully used twice in the past.
Already PCB is facing huge criticism in the media and the blogs for not treating him fairly, within a few months more pressure will build up, Yousuf is backed by a strong lobby of Ex Players i.e Inzamam, Moin Khan, Akram and many others. A few bad performances by the Pakistan’s batting line up and PCB will be forced to beg and plead him to make a comeback.
He will save himself from all the hassel and potential humiliation resulting from appellate tribunals hearings and will make a comeback with his reputation intact. Nobody would question him about his role in creating discord in the dressing room which lead to the downfall of Malik’s and Younis Khan’s captaincy and nobody would question him about Pakistan’s teams questionable performance under him.
But he might have made a serious calculation error, this is not 2007 and form wise he is not as indispensable as he was in 2007.
Hello Wasim and friends, I guess we are all tired of the current “news” from the Pakistan camp (somehow Malik even managed to top the whole penalty farce, my brain hurts, applause) so I thought why not have a look into the past. People like me who didn’t see this match are probably a little bit jealous with those who were able to watch it, nevertheless it leaves you breathless even if you only look at the scorecard.
Rayden,
I’m sorry if it upset you but I was just saying what I saw. I saw it on ARY and NDTV News. I know a lot of people have wished them well both Indian (the guys from MTJAG) and Pakistani (Me, Maz, Wasim) but you have to accept that there has been more negativity from certain elements in India in regards to the marriage than there has been from Pakistan. I was just saying that it is sad because this is a wonderful thing yet some ignorant people cannot recognise it. Even questions from some of the reporters to Shoaib outside Sania Mirza’s house shows what they are thinking. One was ‘who will she play tennis for?’…of course she’ll still play for India, he’s not gonna take away, lock her up and turn her into a Pakistani.
Can you please also do one thing for me. Can you show me anywhere where I have clearly highlighted ‘the bad points of India and put it as if its is the majority’ as you said, as I would like to correct it. Thanks
Rayden
Did I said that majority of Indians are against this marriage?
I mentioned Bal thackrey and mind you that the rebuttal didn’t came from him.
VHP held a protest against the marriage, you can find it’s video’s on youtube, Muslims in Bijnor held a protest, Bjp’s vice president has also cautioned Sania against this marriage. So far the vibes coming out of India are like this.
Sania is no more an Indian. She should be deported from the country. Her Padma shree should be taken back.Her marriage to Shoaib will cause India an embarrassment. Why couldn’t she find a groom in India.
Besides these statements the way Malik is being harrassed in India and the way Indian media is portraying him generally tells an outsider about the sentiments on the Indian streets about this marriage in general.
We are not making anything up here so I don’t know why are you so upset. We are only stating facts here in black and white. If you think we are delibertely highlighting negatives of Indian society then it’s your own perception on which we have no control.
As regards the pattern you mentioned maybe you didn’t read the tribute written to Sachin both by me and by Stani.
@Stani and Wasim – Where did you see the pics being burnt of Mirza and Malik? Overall they have received lot of support in India. Also Udhav Thackeray gave a press conference the very next day the media mentioned about their problems with the marriage saying it was their personal matter and shiv sena didnt want anything to do with it.
I am really sorry to say this, but I have started to notice a pattern where you guys highlight the bad points of India and put it as if its is the majority. We can pinpoint lots of negativity from Pakistan as well. Thing is if you really look into things, there is negativity in all countries of the world. It is important that you know where the majority lies and highlight them as well.
Stani
In Younis Khan’s case there were other factors also involved but in Malik’s case it was only Yousaf.
I do agree with you that if underperformance was the criteria at least 7 to 8 players should have gotten the punishment.
But I think they punished the king pins and made them example for the rest. 4-5 captains playing in one team and all desperately wanting the job, sooner or later this had to be done.
Yes it was silly of Malik to get involved in such a scandal I don’t know what is his obssession with Indian women. But either he is plain stupid or he is innocent because otherwise he would have never gone to India to marry Sania Mirza.
A lot of Indians have shown narrow mindedness on the issue. I think their open mindedness is limited to only movies and the fantasy world. Why didn’t Bal Thackrey took offence when Rajiv married Sonia Gandhi? I fail to understand on what moral grounds can one object to this marriage?
Bal thackrey has proved once again what a petty low life scum bag he is.
Ground realities Wasim? You are saying that Yousuf was responsible for derailing two of our captains? Surely you cannot believe this? Whether he made their job harder is a different thing but I’m certain if he was responsible for such a thing then we would have heard about it.
I think if the PCB were taking under-performance as a criteria for punishment then our whole team should have got banned
I agree with your view on Malik but he was silly to get involved in such things…especially in another country. It is clear that woman is after money otherwise she wouldn’t have come out in the media because it is only embarrassing for her and it’s not like he will go back to her. Whilst on that subject – how sad to see people in India burning pictures of Mirza and Malik? What is the world coming too?
Stani
“I don’t think our two captains you mentioned needed Yousuf to derail them of their captaincy – they were perfectly capable of doing it all by themselves as it showed.”
By making this statement you have completely ignored the ground realities.
1- Yousaf blamed Malik for kicking him out of T20 team and hence made everybody believe that his exodus to ICL was not for money but due to Malik’s conspiracy, he also consistently targeted him in the media, especially after matches where he failed to lead from the front.
2- You ignored PCB’s allegation that Yousaf and Younis were consistently fighting and destroying the team’s envioronment.
I am not sure why Malik got lessor punishment because in the media he was a bigger culprit but if we are to prove his underperformance through circumstantial evidence then Yousaf also has a lot of circumstantial evidence going against him.
As regards Malik’s personal life, I won’t defend him on that neither I would accuse him of any wrong doing because we don’t know the facts. Just by looking at the picture of that girl I don’t think Malik would have fallen for her, especially when their relationship grew through internet and telephone and Malik only knew her from a Picture.
I think taking money from left and right and then not following the terms and conditions of the contract is called decieving.
I agree with you that Akmal brothers and Malik should have gotten more punishment but if they got away with it that doesn’t exonerate Yousaf from anything.
As regards Younis I think his ban is harsh he didn’t deserved to be lined up with these crooks.
I think Pakistan cricket should move forward, Players come and go, Yousaf and Younis would have retired in a year anyways.
Wasim,
I’m not saying you had a problem with his beard, I was talking about those involved with our cricket. I don’t think our two captains you mentioned needed Yousuf to derail them of their captaincy – they were perfectly capable of doing it all by themselves as it showed.
How Malik got less punishment than him I do not know. Just look at al the marriage stuff that is coming out about Malik and you will see who is the more honest person when it comes to Malik v Yousuf.
We don’t know if he deceived his employees so we shouldn’t say who is a true Muslim and who is not. As a whole, I think the bigger crooks got away with it and it’s interesting that it was the two older guys that got the harsher punishment which tends to show that PCB considered age rather than the seriousness of the crime when handing out the punishments.
Those who watched RBS T20 and are watching IPL can clearly see the difference in the standard of cricket. In my opinion the standard of bowling was much higher in RBS than in IPL and that automatically compliments the batting.
Reverse
He is a pseudo mullah, if he was a true muslim he wouldn’t be decieving his employers left and right for monetary gains. For any religious person committment and honor is most important Yousaf has violated his contracts with PCB, ICL and IPL in the past for personal gains that reflects on his character what kind of a saint he is.
Pakistan should stay away from players having close association with Inzamam and his lobby.
This is also a misconception that we don’t have players to replace him. Naveed Yasin, Umar Amin, and a few more have been consistently performing with the A team. What we should realize is that he is not going to play forever, when Miandad and Inzamam left we thought that nobody will ever be able to replace them but we got Younis and Yousaf now somebody will replace these guys too we should have some faith in our system it’s not that bad.
The main problem which is plaguing our cricket is corruption and dirty politics there is no dearth of talent.
I have been following domestic cricket since last two years, the standard of domestic cricket has improved a lot and some of the guys are ready for international cricket.
Stani
His appearance is decieving, and I have no problem with his beard or him being a tableeghi.
In my opinion he decieved everybody when he first left for ICL for the first time and even more when he left the second time. He derailed the captaincy of two captains after his comeback his association with Inzamam’s mafia is questionable, the way Pakistan team performed under him in NewZealand and Australia was extremely questionable.
No doubt he is the one of the best batsman Pakistan has ever produced and it will be hard for Pakistan to fill the void created by his absence but prople like Malik and him if they are only going to play for themselves then we are better off without them.
Pakistan and it’s team comes first than any individual. Players come and go.
This is very interesting as this Guy to the outer world is saint in Pakistani cricket as with many of my non-Pakistani friends they think PCB is after the poor Yousuf who is one of the Legend and is also not cunning like others etc.
I am really disappointed with wht is coming out specially regarding Guys like Yousuf and also as he portraits himself to be a very very humble and true Muslim with his looks and acts so what image is he creating for Muslims specially as he is a converted Muslim and he said somewhere that he got advantages after converting, ridiculous.
I hope all that is just not true. But if it is she should stay away from Pakistan team now no matter how bad we perform (which we are going to perform really bad this summer regarding middle order BTW) and also all those trouble maker. PCB for God sake take a stand for once if you had done something drastic like these bans and fines.
But PCB is PCB they are now asking for apologies to finish all this bans and fines , bullshit.
Wasim
He seems a gentle guy to me….if a bit naïve at times. I just feel that his beard does not sit well with many in that set-up and his laid back persona leaves him open to criticism.
I thought the PCB asked the players to send official appeals which will then be considered, rather than written apologies.
How nice would it have been if it was a public enquiry for everyone to see?!
Stani
I have seen this guy in domestic matches, the real Mohammad Yousaf is the one we saw yelling and cursing at Salman Butt. This guy is not as straight forward as he looks, he is an extremely clever crook.
I am not against him because of his poor captaincy, if anything I supported him as a captain.
What I don’t like about him is his decietful personality and his constant black mailing.
I know the truth regarding the Sydney test and the SriLankan series will never come out, PCB is already on the backfoot and has asked the player to send written apologies and they will rescind the bans and fines but I have seen Pakistan team played for so many years I have never seen such corruption before not even during the days of Salim Malik.
Wasim,
I think he will appeal. They have 30 days I believe and I think he will change his mind.
Also, I don’t think he didn’t want to appeal because he feels the PCB have a strong case against him or because he doesn’t want anything to come out. I think he is a very different personality to the likes of Afridi and Younis. Yousuf would rather walk away then fight when there is a injustice done against him because he feels forlorn.
I’m not sure why he’s made out to be such a big trouble maker just because he captained poorly after being forced to take the job for one series. There are bigger trouble makers in Pakistan cricket.
One correction the three-member appellate tribunal comprises two retired supreme court judges, Munir Sheikh and Jamshed Ali Shah, and a former high court judge Irfan Qadir.
Thanks SP
Yousaf the batsman will be missed but I don’t think anybody will miss Yousuf as a human being.
His impact on the team has been completely negative since he made his comeback.
Since all the trouble makers are out Pakistan will not mess up the T20 WC, but any of the top four teams in this format can win, with Pakistan being the team to beat.
another fair and balanced article on yousuf… wasim…
he being best batsman was never a question but his poisonous presence in the dressing room was indeed causing harm to pak team and youngsters…
as for his ‘for now’ thing… my sentiments are exactly like you this is what i tweeted… recently…
yusuf quitting ‘for now’ [wait till pak mess up t20 wc]