Is Yousuf greedy?
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
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Mohammad Yousuf is peeved. Thats not new. Yesterday, after returning to Pakistan following the Lahore Badshahs' win in the ICL finals, Yousuf warned that the national side will suffer without him, saying that the country doesn't have anybody good enough to replace him in the middle-order at the moment. In the Karachi-based Dawn, Saad Shafqat says that by even accepting the ICL offer, Yousuf showed everyone that he had placed greed above the country. It’s been great for the Badshahs and for the fans who are once again enjoying the rarefied pleasure of Yousuf’s silken batting. But in a more obvious sense, says Shafqat, Yousuf is back where he started, accomplishing little and inviting ridicule in the process.
It was the princely sum of $1million that started it. This is the amount that the Indian Cricket League offered Yousuf through former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, who had become the manager of the Lahore Badshahs and was recruiting for them.
Naturally, Yousuf was tempted. Who wouldn’t be? Around the world, leading contracted players from many national teams were made similar offers to join one of the ICL teams and add their stardust to the league. Yet while everyone else resisted, Yousuf caved in.
Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo