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Younis Khan

Mohammad Younis Khan PP SI (born 29 November 1977) is a Pakistani professional cricket coach and former cricketer who captained the Pakistan national cricket team in all three formats of the game. Widely regarded as one of the greatest middle-order batsmen in Test cricket, he is the only Test cricketer in the history of the game to have scored a century in all eleven countries that have hosted Test matches.

Key facts

Full name Mohammad Younis Khan
Born 29 November 1977
Nationality Pakistani
Honours Pride of Performance (PP), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (SI)
Role Middle-order batsman
Captaincy Pakistan in all three formats
Major title 2009 ICC World Twenty20 (as captain); 2012 Asia Cup (as squad member)
Test centuries 34
Test fifties 33
Retirement ODI: November 2015; All formats: May 2017

Background

Younis Khan rose through Pakistan's domestic cricket structure to become one of the country's most prolific Test batsmen. Known for a strong technique and temperament suited to long innings, he developed a reputation for converting starts into large scores, with a century conversion ratio of over fifty per cent — placing him among a small group of Test batsmen with such consistency.

International career

Captaincy and limited-overs success

Under his captaincy, Pakistan won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, the country's first World Twenty20 title. He was also a member of the Pakistan side that won the 2012 Asia Cup.

Disciplinary suspension

On 24 March 2010, Younis, along with teammate Mohammad Yousuf, was suspended from playing by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following an inquiry report which suggested they were involved in breaches of discipline by inciting divisions within the team. The ban was lifted three months later.

Test milestones

  • Third Pakistani player to score 300 or more runs in a Test innings.
  • In a Test match against Australia beginning on 22 October 2014, Younis scored his 25th and 26th centuries in the same match, becoming just the sixth Pakistani to achieve the feat.
  • On 25 June 2015, he became the fifth Pakistani cricketer to play 100 Test matches.
  • On 13 October 2015, he became Pakistan's highest run scorer in Test cricket, surpassing Javed Miandad's tally of 8,832 runs.
  • On 23 April 2017, he became the first Pakistani and the 13th batsman ever to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket; he was the oldest and sixth fastest batsman to reach the 10,000-run milestone in terms of innings played.

Retirement

Younis retired from One Day International cricket in November 2015. He retired from all forms of international cricket at the conclusion of the series against the West Indies in May 2017.

Records and significance

  • Only Test cricketer to score a century in all eleven Test-hosting countries.
  • Pakistan's highest run scorer in Test cricket.
  • Holds the record for the most centuries scored by a Pakistani in Test cricket, with 34 hundreds.
  • Captained Pakistan to its maiden ICC World Twenty20 title in 2009.

Timeline

  1. 1977 – Born on 29 November.
  2. 2009 – Led Pakistan to victory in the ICC World Twenty20.
  3. 2010 – Suspended by the PCB on 24 March; ban lifted after three months.
  4. 2012 – Part of the Pakistan team that won the Asia Cup.
  5. 2014 – Scored two centuries in the same Test against Australia (from 22 October).
  6. 2015 – Played his 100th Test (25 June); became Pakistan's leading Test run scorer (13 October); retired from ODIs in November.
  7. 2017 – Reached 10,000 Test runs on 23 April; retired from all international cricket in May.

Post-playing career

Following his retirement as a player, Younis Khan has worked as a professional cricket coach.

References