Cricket: Pakistan arrive preaching team harmony

Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Yousuf at the media conference in Auckland today. Photo / NZPA

Dysfunctional unit? They won't hear a word of it.

The Pakistan cricket side presented a united front when arriving for their three-test series against New Zealand today, downplaying the significance of a change in captaincy.

While New Zealand approach the third - and most challenging - leg of their 'away' series having acclimatised to life without a head coach, the Pakistanis have Mohammad Yousuf at the helm and doubts surrounding the future of coach Intikhab Alam.

Although former captain Younis Khan has officially been "rested" from the tour the out-of-form batsman's leadership style is said to have prompted a player revolt, similar to that which prompted New Zealand coach Andy Moles to resign last month.

Reports out of subcontinent also claim Intikhab, a Younis ally, could be replaced by former captain, coach and Pakistan Cricket Board director general Javed Miandad for the subsequent tour of Australia.

But rumours of internal squabbling are nothing new to Pakistan cricket, prompting Intikhab to today clarify the former captain's status.

"There is a misconception regarding Younis," he said.

"He wasn't dropped from the side or sacked from the captaincy. It was a decision he made that he wanted to get away for a while.

"He wasn't in the best of form and he said it was the best time to go and play domestic cricket, find some form and then join the team in Australia.

Younis, who offered to resign after unsubstantiated allegations of matchfixing emerged at October's Champions Trophy, led Pakistan to a 1-2 one-day series loss to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last week before stepping aside.

Although doubt about his relationship with senior teammates remain he had earlier been appointed captain until the 2011 World Cup.

Yousuf, the team's senior player with 82 tests and 278 one-day internationals, rejoined the national team in July after severing ties with the `rebel' Indian Cricket League.

Asked whether it was a disruptive time to take over the reins, the 35-year-old admitted: "It's a big responsibility. I'll try my level best to make a unity in the team and play good cricket here."

Pakistan's 17-man squad arrived here today before heading to Queenstown tomorrow for a three-day game against a New Zealand Invitation 11 starting on Wednesday.

Other than allowing the Pakistanis time to acclimatise, the match is also an opportunity for incumbent New Zealand test batsmen Tim McIntosh and Daniel Flynn to gauge a dangerous pace attack featuring reverse swing exponent Umar Gul and 17-year-old tearaway Mohammad Aamer.

The duo has already been a handful for New Zealand's batsmen in the limited overs formats while 26-year-old quick Mohammad Asif is poised to reinforce the pace battery more than two years after playing his last test.

Asif has been plagued by injury and tainted by drug scandals over the last two years.

He was banned for a year after testing positive to nandrolone and was then deported and barred from the United Arab Emirates after being found in possession of a quantity of opium last year.

"We're very fortunate to have him back in the side," Intikhab said.

"He's a matchwinner, there's no doubt about it, and he has to prove it again."

TEAMS

Pakistan (from): Mohammad Yousuf (captain) Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Abdur Rauf, Umer Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmad.

New Zealand Invitation 11: Grant Elliott (captain), Craig Cumming, Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Daryl Tuffey, Tarun Nethula, Iain O'Brien, Brent Arnel.

- NZPA