The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Rift in the Pakistan side

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Tuesday, May 31, 2005

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Rift in the Pakistan side

KARACHI: Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan might have to pay a heavy price for his clash with skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi during the first Test against West Indies after the Pakistan Cricket Board, while confirming the incident, decided to launch an inquiry into the fracas.

Team manager and a senior PCB official, Saleem Altaf, said that proper investigations would be carried out and the player found guilty penalised. Media reports here suggested that Younis Kahn's contract as vice captain may not be extended due to this incident.

The brawl, involving the trio after the first day's play in the Barbados Test when Afridi misbehaved with stand-in skipper Younis Khan over his batting position, with Inzamam supporting the flamboyant all-rounder, was reported in the media on Sunday.

Altaf said Afridi and Younis Khan were good friends.

"They are good friends but the incident happened when the two got involved in an argument with Afridi telling Younis that he should have informed him before hand if he had to open the innings. Later, Inzamam intervened and hushed up the matter," Altaf said.

Second incident

Interestingly, this is the second major incident involving Inzmam and Younis Khan.

In the 2003 World Cup at Bulawayo, the two had clashed while playing in a football match.

Ironically, both the incidents — at Barbados and Bulawayo — took place under the nose of Shaharyar Khan who was the manager of Pakistan cricket team for the World Cup.

He was also in Barbados to watch the Test, which Pakistan lost by 276 runs inside four days. — PTI

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