Younis Khan    

One of Pakistan's modern batting greats, Younis Khan is the kind of man who responds best in adversity. A Test average of over 50, a triple-hundred, a famous double-hundred against India in India, and a brilliant rearguard partnership to clinch Pakistan's 3-0 Test whitewash over England, leave no doubt about his quality and class. He is also one of the most successful fielders for Pakistan, and can bowl respectable slow-medium. As a captain, Younis has enjoyed success in leading Pakistan to the world Twenty20 title in 2009. Much of his persona evokes the idea of the quintessential Pathan warrior - committed, inspired, capable, and bearing the burden of conflict with fortitude and poise. Born in Mardan, a prominent city in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Younis moved at an early age to Karachi, where he caught the eye of Rashid Latif and Saeed Anwar at Malir Gymkhana, one of the city's renowned sports clubs. The relationship with Latif blossomed into a nurturing mentorship, guiding Younis towards entry onto the world stage. After two impressive domestic seasons, he got a Test call-up, and marked it with a century on debut. Style and aesthetics are not his strongest points. His technique relies on a good deal of bottom hand, which deprives it of the fluidity and grace that is typical of Asia's best batsmen. Yet when Younis gets going, he produces results in the face of steep odds. Indeed, the steeper the odds, the more Younis seems to thrive. His match-winning 267 and 84 not out in Bangalore came after a string of low scores prompted a sarcastic comment from the team manager that leaked into the media. His greatest captaincy feat - the world Twenty20 championship in England - was achieved weeks after Pakistan cricket had been devastated by the terror attacks in Lahore. And though his triple-century came at home on a flat track, the innings began under pressure when Younis, eschewing the nightwatchman, stepped out himself in the dying moments of the second day with Pakistan staring at a huge Sri Lankan total. Unsurprisingly for a rearguard specialist, Younis has emerged a master of the fourth innings. Among players with 1000 or more fourth-innings Test runs, his average is among the highest. Along with these accomplishments, Younis's career has also seen turmoil. Inability to control infighting within the team and display tact with the PCB led to him losing the captaincy in late 2009, and he effected a moody refusal when circumstances changed and it was offered again. His nature is to be inward-looking and intensely focused, quietly fighting his way through. While this makes for a reclusive personality that shuns the media and runs afoul of officialdom, it has also been the source of Younis's batting strength and his extraordinary resilience as a cricketer.
Saad Shafqat

• 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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• 117 v India, Mohali, 2007
  • Younis Khan at his ODI best, a sparkling hundred around which Pakistan built a rare, tough 322-run chase. He played strokes both classical and improvised and has rarely looked better in colours.
    
• 123* v India, Karachi, 2008
  • Another 300-plus chase against the opponents who matter most and Younis to the fore once again. This time he had a start to build on at least but he marshalled the whole thing expertly, with Misbah-ul-Haq providing a quality flourish.
    
• 101 v England, Southampton, 2006
  • A pumped-up Younis turned 29 for 2 into a successful chase of 272. The main partnership was with Mohammad Yousuf, but by the time he left, the equation was much simpler. Pakistan did their best to fluff it, but scraped home eventually.
    
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