Younus shouldn't have backed out of NZ tour: Afridi

Karachi:

Pakistan's Twenty20 cricket captain Shahid Afridi believes that Younus Khan should not have backed out of the tour to New Zealand, a decision which led to Mohd Yousuf's elevation to Test captaincy.

"He was having problems but I don't think he should have taken the decision to skip the tour. He should have played on because the captain is the central figure in a team," Afridi told 'Geo TV'.

Afridi is not in the Test team that will tour New Zealand this month under Yousuf who was named captain after Younus told the Pakistan Cricket Board that he wanted a break.

Afridi said he has always supported Younus as captain but felt disappointed when he learnt about the developments in the team on Wednesday.

"He should have toured New Zealand. Anyway I just hope he is back soon," he said.

Afridi said the one-day series loss to New Zealand was a dark chapter in Pakistan cricket and he hoped the players would now focus on winning the two Twenty20 internationals.

"New Zealand is a very good Twenty20 side and they have some explosive players. So, we have to be at our best to win this series even though we are the world champions," he added.

The two teams play the first Twenty20 International on Thursday and the second match on Friday.