My runs are for all of Pakistan: Younis Khan

Dubai: Pakistan’s most experienced batsman Younis Khan may be just 103 runs short of being the first Pakistani to score 9,000 in Tests, but the veteran insists he will never be arrogant despite his impressive record.

The middle order stroke maker, who averages a shade under 54 from his 102 Test matches, last week broke Javed Miandad’s 22-year-old record to become his country’s highest ever run-getter.

The 37-year-old, who never minces his words in expressing his feelings, was asked why he didn’t celebrate on surpassing Miandad’s record in Abu Dhabi.

He replied: “Ask the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) why there was no celebration. I don’t mind that, but I have achieved the record and if some praise me over it, I will feel happy. This is not a record for myself — it is the whole country’s record.

“We should all feel proud that it is a record for Pakistan. I had never dreamt of beating Miandad’s record but I will never feel arrogant, it is a record over which we all must feel proud.”

When asked whether the team is heavily dependant on veterans himself and captain Misbah-ul-Haq and whether that puts extra pressure on the pair, Younis said: “Yes we know that and we feel our responsibility, but I can’t say that team depends on me.

“It’s not an extra pressure because we are senior players and I want to give the performance that is expected of me.”

For Younis, winning the Dubai Test is what matters more than any record. He wants his team to fight hard after they narrowly avoided defeat on the final day of the first Test.

“We will fight back. We did well in the first innings [in Abu Dhabi] and they also did well against our expectations,” he said.

“I had said before that they [England] will be a different team and they kept us under pressure. But that is gone now — this is a new Test and we are geared up. This venue is result-oriented so I am hopeful that we will do well here.”

Pakistan have been boosted by the return to fitness of star spinner Yasir Shah, with Younis saying: “He has been bowling well recently so we are sure that he will do well. It is welcoming that another leg-spinner is playing international cricket and creating an impact. It is good for Test cricket, like before we had Mushtaq Ahmad, then Shane Warne and Anil Kumble.”

Younis also backed opening batsman Shan Masood, who scored only two and one in the first Test.

“I will back Shan Masood — he was unlucky that he got out in the same manner to the same bowler [James Anderson]. It wasn’t a technical problem but maybe it was not his day. Shan has done well in Sri Lanka so I will back him.”