Yousuf' s inclusion could see Malik open batting against Sri Lanka

Lahore, June 30 (ANI): With the return of middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf in the team, the Pakistan team management is undecided over how to utilize all rounder Shoaib Malik, and is now thinking of pushing the former captain up the batting order.

Malik, who has been in indifferent form with the bat in the recent past, may be asked to open the batting with Salman Butt in the first Test against Sri Lanka, which begins from July 4 in Galle, team sources said.

Malik has opened batting for the team in the past, and has proved his mettle at the top of the order too.

He played a match-saving knock of 148, which was his career-best performance, and helped Pakistan win the Test series during the 2006 Sri Lanka series.

Sources said that the team management is finding it hard to keep Malik in the squad with a crowded middle-order, where players like captain Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and now Mohammad Yousuf would be battling it out, The Daily Times reports.

Now, it would be interesting to see if Malik is axed from the team to accommodate Yousuf, who had blamed Malik for treating senior players badly, and held him responsible for his decision of joining the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). (ANI)