Flintoff and Pietersen are the danger men - Younis Khan

Younis Khan, the Pakistan vice-captain, has said that they will have to keep Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen in check to have a successful home series against England in October.

"We can't let them [Flintoff and Pietersen] get away. Because they are match-winners and play the spinners well they will hold the key to the series in Pakistan and India," Younis was quoted as saying by Reuters. "They are a destructive pair and they can turn a match around with their positive approach. They made the difference in the Ashes series." Younis also said that the series against England would be a tough one. "They [England] have just beaten Australia and any side which has done even reasonably well against Australia in recent times has gone on to perform in their next series."

Having just returned from a six-week stint with Nottinghamshire as a replacement for Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, Younis said that he was not satisfied with his county experience and wished that he had played more cricket while in England.

"Honestly speaking there is not a feeling of fulfilment after the six-week stint. Firstly because there was no cricket played on 20 to 22 days of my contractual period of 42 days. We [Nottinghamshire] were not in the Twenty20 Cup and C&G tournament." Younis was quoted as saying by The News. "Then I also took time to settle down and adjust to the conditions there which become wet and rainy at this time of the year. But I definitely would like to go back for another stint in England and show my true worth."

He also added that he was impressed by the manner in which cricket was organised and managed in England. "I learnt a lot from observing how they manage things in many areas. They are very well organised and the people there were also very receptive and appreciative of your efforts."

Michael Vaughan, the England captain, said that England needed to perform well in the series against Pakistan and then India in March 2006 to dethrone Australia as the top team in Test cricket. "We haven't been to the subcontinent and won yet," said Vaughan. "If we play good cricket over there, I'm sure the rankings will change."

England's tour of Pakistan starts on October 26 and comprises three Tests and five one-day internationals.