I want to win Champions Trophy or 2011 World Cup: Younis

Karachi:

Younis Khan, under whose leadership Pakistan won the World Twenty20 this year, said he wants to win the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy or the 2011 World Cup during his tenure as captain.

Younis said his burning desire was to see Pakistan win either the Champions Trophy or World Cup in 2011 and to beat Australia and India in Test series.

"Every captain has certain targets in mind, mine is that we must win either of these two major ICC events until I am captain," Younis told reporters at the start of the second phase of the Champions Trophy conditioning camp here on Friday.

"We also go to Australia later this year and we have never won a Test series there. I think we have the best chance of achieving this first time feat in the coming series.

Beating Australia in Australia is something I have always dreamed off," he added.

The senior batsman said Pakistan had a strong line up of players for every form of the sport but the real issue was to get them to click collectively.

"We have the players to win the Champions Trophy or World Cup and even beat Australia in Australia but we need to combine and click together," he said.

Younis said a Test series against India was always a big thing for him and he hoped that while he was captain bilateral cricket relations with India would be revived soon.

"I would love the lead the team in a full series against India as beating them would be a big achievement for me and a big plus in my cricket career," he said.

Younis said Pakistan had the potential to top its group in Champions Trophy despite the presence of India and Australia.

"When our team is clicking well and playing with confidence and on a high it does not matter how many teams we have in our group. Even if they are six we can still qualify for the semi finals," he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam lashed out the former players and critics for questioning his right to be coach at his age.

"I don't know why age has become such a big issue now. The same people who are targeting me now were praising my work three months ago."

"I don't think age is any bar to being a good and successful coach. Infact the older you are means the more experience you have and this is always very good for a coach to deliver results," he said.

The 73-year-old former Test skipper felt that the current campaign against and the talk about his age was launched by vested interests jealous of his success who wanted to see him out of the scene.

"The coach of the national football team, George Kotten is 75 years old and still going strong. I don't think age should be made an issue until the coach is fit and keen to impart knowledge to others," he said.