Yousuf to meet Pakistan board chairman

There is good news for Pakistan cricket now that Mohammad Yousuf has agreed to talk about his future with the board © AFP Enlarge

Mohammad Yousuf will be meeting Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan board, this week in Lahore to discuss his future with Pakistan cricket as well his decision to join the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

"No agenda has been finalised for this meeting," Shafqat Naghmi, PCB's chief operating officer, said. "But since Yousuf is a very important member of the team, the chairman will try to persuade him to give Pakistan top priority."

Yousuf, together with Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat and Abdul Razzaq, joined the ICL after being overlooked for the ICC World Twenty20. The PCB, in a similar manner to some other boards, has threatened to place life bans on players joining the unofficial Indian league.

Yousuf, however, has not made any immediate plans and is waiting to see the results of his meeting with Ashraf. "Obviously, Pakistan is my first priority," he said. "But I need to know how things can be worked out without any inconvenience to anyone."

While the PCB has been trying to lure Yousuf back into national reckoning, no such move has been made for Inzamam, Farhat or Razzaq prompting rumours that their international careers might very well be over.

Pakistan play host to South Africa in a two-Test and five-ODI series starting next month.