The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Mohammad Yousuf drops out at the last minute

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Tuesday, Oct 02, 2007
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Mohammad Yousuf drops out at the last minute

The pullout might be an attempt to escape legal hassles
Yousuf cited lack of match fitness for his withdrawal

Karachi: Senior Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf’s last-minute pull out from the first Test against South Africa might be an attempt to escape legal hassles that are likely to crop up after he broke off with the rebel Indian Cricket (ICL) to make himself available for the national team.

Match fitness

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Yousuf cited lack of match fitness for his withdrawal and would be available for the second Test in Lahore from October 8.

“He opted out himself. He feels he needs more time to regain his match fitness before playing again,” Ahmed said.

Yousuf said he will play in the second Test. He denied reports that ICL had sent him a letter regarding the cancellation of the contract.

“I have not received any document from the ICL and I just opted out of the first Test on match fitness,” he said.

The second Test begins on October 8 where Yousuf plans to be in the playing eleven.

“I’m sure by the time second Test match begins I will regain my match fitness,” he said.

However, there is a feeling that Yousuf’s pull out might have been prompted by a letter sent to him by the ICL, asking him for an explanation for signing a central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board while still being contracted to it.

Legal notice

Sources say the decision to not play Yousuf might have been taken on legal advice from the PCB lawyers as the next step expected from the ICL is a legal notice.

The real reasons for the withdrawal are likely to be clear by the time the second Test starts.

Yousuf, who was the ICC Test Player of the Year, was only last week persuaded by the board to drop the contract with the ICL and sign a central contract with the PCB.

Cash prize

On Sunday, Yousuf received two cash prizes from the PCB for winning the ICC Test Player of the Year award and for being in Category A of the PCB central contracts, a total sum of $ 200,000 which is said to be the figure he was to get for playing in the ICL.

It appears strange that someone as experienced as Yousuf should not be aware of his exact match fitness position until the morning of the Test match.

“He was active in the camp for the World Twenty20 event till August so he has not played for just one month,” a former player said. — PTI

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