Pakistan will be without senior batsman Younis Khan in their one-day cricket
series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi next month, the Chairman of
selectors Salahuddin Ahmed said today. 
Salahuddin said that Younis had informed them from England
where he has gone to play for Yorkshire that he was not available for the three
matches against Sri Lanka.
"We had earlier told him that he was not needed to attend
the national camp in Lahore and could join the team in Abu Dhabi as he is an
automatic selection. But just now he told us he was not available for the series,"
Salahuddin said.
But he did not elaborate on the reasons for Younis pulling
out of the coming series which would be Pakistan's first after their dismal
World Cup performance.
Younis's refusal is not unexpected and is keeping in line with
his earlier statement when he turned down the Pakistan captaincy that
he was not keen on continuing playing one-day internationals and just wanted
to concentrate on Test matches.
"The international calender is very tiring and makes you
stale. I don't have interest in playing one-dayers which are held round the
year and want to concentrate on Test matches only. I consider test matches the
real cricket," Younis had said.
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