Younis Khan      

Younis Khan is fearless, as befits his Pathan ancestry and will forever be remembered as the second Khan to bring home a world title for Pakistan: Younis was Pakistan's captain in the 2009 World Twenty20, leading a successful campaign with stark similarities to the one Imran Khan had led 17 years earlier. Younis retired from the format straight after, a graceful and dignified gesture from a complex but honest man.

It is as a batsman, and a fearless one, that he made his name first, playing with a flourish. He is especially strong in the arc from backward point to extra cover. He is prone to getting down on one knee and driving extravagantly. But this flamboyance is coupled with grit.

Though Younis was one of the few batsmen who retained his place in the team after Pakistan's disastrous World Cup campaign in 2003, he lost it soon after due to a string of poor scores in the home series against Bangladesh and South Africa. He came back for the one-day series against India, but failed to cement a place in the Test side. He is among the better fielders in Pakistan and he took a world-record four catches in one innings as substitute during Pakistan's demolition of Bangladesh in the 2001-02 Asian Test Championship.

But until his return to the side in October 2004, he wasn't a fixture. At the pivotal one-down, against Sri Lanka in Karachi, a century laid the groundwork for his emergence as a force in Pakistan cricket. He was the top run-getter in the disastrous 3-0 whitewash in Australia immediately after and on the tour of India, for which Younis was elevated to vice-captain, he blossomed. After a horror start to the series he came back strongly, capping things off with a match-winning 267 in the final Test. He credits the late Bob Woolmer, to whom he was close, for the turnaround in his career.

Since then, barring minor troughs such as the 2005-06 series against England at home, his career has been one elongated peak, scoring hundreds against India and England for fun and becoming Pakistan's most successful one-down in recent memory. More importantly, the tour to India also showcased his potential as a future captain of Pakistan and his energetic and astute leadership has impressed many people. As captain in Inzamam's absence he led the side to a disastrous loss against the West Indies in 2005 but also to a memorable win against India in Karachi in January 2006.

He blotted his book by suddenly resigning from the captaincy in Inzamam's absence for the Champions Trophy 2006, only to return a day later and lead a scandal-afflicted side to a disappointing first round exit. He was the favourite to take over the captaincy after Pakistan's ignominous World Cup ouster in 2007 but he turned it down, citing mental strain and decided to honour his commitment with Yorkshire by making himself unavailable for Pakistan. In January 2009, however, the PCB came calling a third time, after Pakistan's disastrous home ODI series against Sri Lanka, and appointed him captain in place of Shoaib Malik. Within a few months, with the Twenty20 win, Younis was looking a natural leader.

But the peace, once again, did not last long and several senior players in the team expressed misgivings over Younis' leadership. Things came to a head against New Zealand in Sharjah, after which he announced his resignation from the top-job and sought a break from the team for the tour down under. He was included in the ODI team, midway through a disastrous tour, but struggled for form and runs. His career hit its biggest controversy in March 2010 when, along with Mohammad Yousuf, he was banned by the PCB from all Pakistan teams, for causing infighting within the team, in effect ending his career.
Cricinfo staff March 2010

• February 13, 2000
  Promising ODI debut
  • Makes his international debut for Pakistan at the age of 22 against Sri Lanka. Coming in at No.7, he scores a quick 46 in a losing cause in Karachi.
    
• February 26, 2000
  First Test, first century
  • Registers a hundred on Test debut in the same series, at home against Sri Lanka, becoming only the seventh Pakistani to reach three figures on Test debut. But even his 107 off 250 balls at No. 7 in the second innings in Rawalpindican't prevent a Pakistan loss.
    
• August 29, 2001
  Super sub
  • Sets the record for the most number of catches by a substitute fielder in an innings. Snaps up Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Naimur Rahman and Haibul Hossain during Bangladesh's second innings of the Asian Test Championship match in Multan.
    
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• July18, 2004
  Hurricane v Hong Kong
  • His maiden ODI century arrives against Hong Kong at the Asia Cup. Smashes eight fours and three sixes during his breezy 122-ball 144 at the SSC in Colombo, as Pakistan pile up 343, and eventually win by 168 runs.
    
• March 25, 2005
  Two hundred in Bangalore
  • Seven Test centuries later, he finally reaches the 200-mark against India at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. His 267 includes thirty-two fours and a six, is the highest score by a visiting batsman in India at the time, and goes a long way in ensuring Pakistan's 168-run win.
    
• May 26, 2005
  The heat is on
  • Appointed stand-by captain, he gets into an altercation when Shahid Afridi shows his displeasure at being asked to open the batting in Pakistan's first innings against West Indies in Barbados. Inzamam-ul-Haq joins in the argument and supposedly exchanges heated words with Younis before the other players intervene.
    
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• August 4-8, 2006
  Gigantic partnership in vain
  • Puts together 363 for the third wicket with Mohammad Yousuf against England at Headingley, but it's in vain as Pakistan collapse in the second innings to lose by 167 runs. Younis scores 173, and the partnership becomes the highest in a lost match.
    
• September 29, 2006
  Promoted to top job
  • First appointed vice-captain earlier in 2005 before the tour to India, he is confirmed captain of Pakistan for the 2006-07 Champions Trophy, after the ICC slap a four-match ODI ban on Inzamam-ul-Haq. Five days later he publicly refuses to accept the captaincy, and Mohammad Yousuf is appointed the new leader. The final twist comes on October 7, when Dr Naseem Ashraf, the new head of the PCB, reinstates him as captain.
    
• April 13, 2007
  No to captaincy
  • Turns down the chance to lead Pakistan after Inzamam-ul-Haq quits following the side's early exit from the World Cup, citing continuing mental strain after the traumatic events during the tournament as the main factor in his decision. Shoaib Malik takes up the job instead.
    
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• September 4, 2007
  Three's company
  • Known to bowl occasionally, manages his highest haul in any format with 3 for 18 against Kenya in a Twenty20 international in Nairobi.
    
• October 1-12, 2007
  Twin hundreds in fourth innings
  • Scores fourth-innings centuries in successive Tests at home against South Africa. The first one, in Karachi, can't save the game for Pakistan, but the second, in Lahore, helps achieve an honourable draw.
    
• January 27, 2009
  Taking over from Shoaib Malik
  • Nearly two years after he should've taken over, he finally becomes captain of Pakistan after the PCB, headed by Ijaz Butt, decides to relieve Shoaib Malik of his duties soon after one of Pakistan's worse ODI defeats to Sri Lanka. His tenure begins with a two-Test series at home against Sri Lanka.
    
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• February 23, 2009
  Triple delight
  • Takes full advantage of a dead pitch at the National Stadium in Karachi and scores his maiden triple-century - the third by a Pakistan batsman. Batting for 706 minutes, he hits a patient 313 off 568 balls, comprising 27 fours and a six, and pushes Pakistan to safety against Sri Lanka. The triple century is also the 23rd in Tests and he becomes only the sixth Test captain to touch 300.
    
• June 21, 2009
  Another Khan, another world title
  • In what was to later be his final act in Twenty20 internationals, he leads Pakistan to the 2009 World Twenty20 crown. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final at Lord's, and he uses cricket's grandest stage to announce his retirement from Twenty20s.
    
• October 3, 2009
  Dark clouds gather again
  • Drops a sitter off Grant Elliott, at a crucial moment in the 2009 Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand in Johannesburg. Pakistan are ejected out of the competition, as match-fixing rumours surface.
    
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• October 13, 2009
  Resignation follows
  • Hands in resignation as captain to the PCB, following days of increasing rumour and speculation surrounding Pakistan's exit from the Champions Trophy in South Africa. The board rejects the resignation but he cites dissent within the team and takes a temporary break from international cricket. Opts out of the tours of New Zealand and Australia that follow, putting Mohammad Yousuf in charge of the team.
    
• March 10, 2010
  Banned from all teams
  • In the aftermath of the disastrous Australia tour where he played in the ODIs, Younis is banned by the PCB from all Pakistan teams, for causing infighting within the team, in effect ending his career.
    
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