Home comforts for Younus

Younus Khan spoke to ECBtv about his side tour to England next year

Younus Khan says England will be a home away from home when Pakistan tour these shores next summer.

Pakistan travel to England in July to play Australia at 'home' in two Twenty20 international matches and two Tests - the first time this country has been used as a neutral venue for Test cricket since 1912.

Pakistan have been forced to play their home matches overseas following the terrorist attacks in Lahore in March.

The tourists will then play England in an npower Test series and NatWest ODI series.

Younus expects supporters to flood through the gates to support his side, just as they did during the World Twenty20 in June when roads around Trent Bridge and Lord's were brought to a standstill as joyous fans celebrated their side's victory.

"Whenever we play in England and specifically a couple of counties like Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, we have a lot of supporters there, Asian supporters," he told ecb.co.uk.

"Lord's as well is always jam-packed. We have good memories and a lot of guys have played county cricket here. It's not like we play away from home, sometimes it looks like we are playing at home."

Younus Khan, then Pakistan captain, holds the ICC World Twenty20 trophy aloft amid jubilant scenes at Lord's in July

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Younus, who was captain for that Twenty20 triumph but has since relinquished the reins, has fond memories of playing in England.

He scored half-centuries at Lord's and Manchester during the 2001 series, a huge century at Headingley Carnegie five years later and was voted player of the series in the one-dayers.

"It's always good whenever you perform against England or Australia," said Younus, who amassed 313 against Sri Lanka in February.

"After your performance there are a lot of counties after you, you can have a good reputation. I am looking forward to that situation again.

"In the last series I scored good runs against England and was man of the series in the one-day games. Hopefully I will repeat that form."

Younus has a Test record which matches up with the best players around the world - in 63 matches he has churned out 5,260 runs at a shade over 50 including 16 centuries.

While English fans best know him for marshalling Pakistan to Twenty20 glory, it is the longer game which he insists is the true measure of a player.

"For me Test cricket is everything," he said. "Why would you call it a Test? Because it's a test of your skills.

"You hang in there for five days, sometimes you make mistakes then the game changes - that's why I am a lover of Test cricket."