PCB rejects Younus resignation

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, Pakistan captain Younus Khan and national coach Intikhab Alam arrive at last week's hearing

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Younus Khan’s resignation as Pakistan captain has been rejected by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt.

Younus offered to resign last week following allegations that his team had deliberately thrown matches during the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

However, following a governing council meeting in Lahore today, Butt said he had never accepted Younus’ resignation and he would remain captain until the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent.

“I have not accepted Younus Khan's resignation,” Butt said at a press conference today.

“There is no justification in removing him as captain.

“I realise and understand his reaction and had I been in his place I would've done the same.”

Allegations of match-fixing were levelled at Younus and his side after they lost to Australia off the last ball of their final group game, a defeat which shut the door on India’s progress.

Pakistan then also lost their semi-final against New Zealand - a match which they were favourites to win.

Younus decided to quit at a hearing before the National Assembly’s standing committee on sports last week which was called to probe Pakistan’s defeats.

Chairman of the committee Jamshed Ahmed Dasti had led the match-fixing accusations against Younus.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Shahid Afridi has been retained as Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain until next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in May.

Younus had led Pakistan to victory in the 2009 World Twenty20 in England this summer, but retired from the format of the game immediately after the final.

Afridi, who had starred in the semi-final and final, was handed the captaincy on a temporary basis for the series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, but has now been appointed for a longer term.