It's my wish to play against India again: Younis Khan

Veteran Pakistan cricketer Younis Khan has expressed his desire to see India India and Pakistan play a bilateral series soon. Younis believes that both the countries are giants of the game and should set aside to set their strained relations for sake of the cricket fans.

“It’s my wish to play a Test in Pakistan again, play against India and against all top teams,” Younis told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. “India and Pakistan are two giants of cricket – one number one and the other number two – so whatever the situation between the two nations it must be forgotten and cricket should be played, people want to watch them play.” There has been no Test cricket between the two nations since 2007. Bilateral cricket ties were severed in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan.

The last time the two teams played a bilateral series was in 2012-13 when Pakistan visited India for three One-Day International and two T20 Internationals. Pakistan cricketers are also disallowed to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) repeatedly snubbed Pakistan’s calls for resumption of ties in the current scenario.

“Whenever we play India people watch the game with unmatched interest and the game gets good promotion in the region, it should be played and played regularly,” insisted Younis, part of Pakistan’s last Test tour to India in 2007.

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The 38-year-old returns for Pakistan in the second Test against the West Indies starting in Abu Dhabi on Friday after missing the first Test – a day-night affair with the pink ball – in Dubai as he was recovering from dengue fever. Younis, Pakistan’s top run-getter in Tests with 9,456, hopes he gets to 10,000 runs in the near future.

“I never go after records,” said Younis, who compiled a monumental 218 against England in his last Test at The Oval. “It’s my wish to be in that elite group of 10,000 runs because there is no Pakistani in that group.” Younis reckons Pakistan’s good showing in Tests has increased support for the five-day format. “People now talk about us as a Test team and people who used to stay away from Tests are now coming back,” he said.