By AM Khan
LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) December 2, 2012: Former Pakistan skipper and veteran cricketer Mohammad Yousaf has stepped down as captain of Lahore Lions in favour of the current Pakistan Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez for the National Twenty20 Tournament.
Talking exclusively to TheSportsNEXT.com at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) president Khawaja Nadeem Ahmad said, “Yousaf has showed a big gesture and stepped down as captain on the pretext that Hafeez is the Pakistan captain and is the right choice to lead Lahore Lions in the National T20 Tournament.”
Khawaja Nadeem said Yousaf had a meeting with Hafeez and he conveyed his feelings and decision to the latter who praised the gesture of the former. “Hafeez was not initially agreed to lead the Lahore Lions but Yousaf made him realized that it is better if he leads the side as he has the honour of being the national captain of Pakistan T20 team,” he said.
He rejected a questioner that Yousaf withdrew from the captaincy due to the pressure of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). “It has nothing to do with PCB and this is the personal decision of Yousaf and no one pressurized him,” he added.
President LCCA welcomed Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision for shifting T20 tournament to Lahore owing to security situation in Karachi. “It is very wise decision of Chairman, PCB to have the tournament in Lahore where adequate facilities are available at the three centres, Gaddafi Stadium, LCCA and Bagh-e-Jinnah grounds, for holding the matches in a smooth manner,” he added.
“Lahore was to hold the event last year but it was shifted to Karachi at the last moment, owing to the outbreak of the dengue epidemic in the province. That was a precautionary step, and Lahore didn’t come up with any protest”, he said.
Now when the event has come back to Lahore, there has been a bit of an outcry from Karachi.
Reacting to that, Khawaja Nadeem said: “No one city should have monopoly over hosting national or international cricket. Rather it should be evenly spread all over the country, with all major cricketing centres getting their due share. And it can be said without any fear of contradiction that Lahore is and has been a major cricketing centre for well over a century. People in this city, like everywhere else in the country, too are quite keen on cricket and deserve the opportunity to watch it from the stands”.
More than anything else, said Nadeem, this also provides all concerned in these parts to refresh and improve on cricket organization skills and be well-versed in tackling the security issues. “This is essential so that when international cricket comes back, Pakistan as a nation could host them in a befitting manner”, concluded the LCCA president.
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