Younus Khan Wants to Play World Cup

Pakistan's man of the match in the first Test win over Australia in Dubai, Younis Khan, is keen to play in next year's World Cup despite the national selectors sidelining him for the one-day series against the Australians.

Younis, who scored twin centuries in the Dubai Test, said he was ready to play in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand if the selectors put faith in him.

"I just feel that the selectors should not take into consideration age, position or colour while selecting teams. No matter what age a batsman is, if he is in form and has match fitness he should be selected to play in ODIs," Younis said on Geo Super channel.

"The idea should be to play the players in form. Age should not be a bar. If any player can serve Pakistan cricket in the World Cup he should be considered for selection. It is about playing the right combination for a match or event," Younis said.

Younis, who has become the highest Test century-maker for Pakistan with 26 hundreds after the Dubai Test, said he was ready to play for Pakistan even in ODIs.

"Playing for Pakistan has been the biggest high for me and I have not given up hope of playing in the World Cup. I will just try to carry on my form in the second Test against Australia and than we have three tests against New Zealand. I will give it my best shot the rest is up to the selectors," he said.

Younis had lashed out at the selectors and the cricket board after he was dropped for the one-day series against Australia before the Tests and had blamed them for not showing respect to seniors like him.

Although Younis offered to also step down from the Test side, he escaped disciplinary action from the board because of his seniority.

"I am really grateful to all those people who supported me in recent months especially the Pakistan media and my family and friends and people like Rashid Latif and Basit Ali who spoke up for me. I am just happy I could live up to their faith in me," he said.