Former Pakistan speed merchant Rana Naved ul Hassan has come up with a sensational claim alleging that several Pakistani players plotted against former skipper and batting great Younis Khan when the Green Army hosted New Zealand in 2009 on a neutral venue. Naved, who used to be a key campaigner for the Green Army during his prime has alleged that senior Pakistan players ‘deliberately’ under-performed to put a blot on Younis’ captaincy report card as they were not pleased with the then skipper’s leadership at the time.
“We lost two ODI matches against New Zealand in the UAE during 2009 because some of the players involved deliberately did not play well,” Rana told a local news channel, reports news agency PTI. The retired Pakistan speed merchant asserted that he opted to miss the tour at the time because he deserted the chance to conspire along with the senior players against the skipper of the Pakistani side.
According to the agency report, players decided to remove Younis from captainship post the 2009 Champions Trophy. Younis allegedly had turned “arrogant and abusive” towards the senior players at the time. “I preferred to sit out of the tour. But I had informed Younis Khan that this was a conspiracy against you and that they wanted me to be part of it,” he said. “After he (Younis) became captain, his personality and attitude changed and some seniors (he didn’t name them), who harboured ambitions of leading the side didn’t want to play under him,” he added.
Senior campaigners Mohammed Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Saeed Ajmal used to spearhead the Pakistani side at the time. Pakistan ended up losing the three-match ODI series 1-2 in which they claimed the series opener by 138 runs. Pakistan lost the remaining two matches by 64 and seven runs as New Zealand completed a come-from-behind series win.
