Yousuf not happy with selectors

Karachi, Jan 17 (PTI) Pakistan''s former captain andsenior batsman Mohammed Yousuf has expressed disappointment atthe treatment being meted out to him by the national selectorsbut stopped short of announcing retirement plans.

Yousuf told the media while playing a match of thenational one-day championship in Karachi for Lahore that hewas disappointed at not being picked for the one-day series inNew Zealand .

"I don�t know what is the criteria of the selectors forselecting someone. I am in form and I am fit what more can Ido to convince them I should play for Pakistan," Yousuf said.

The national selectors did not consider him for the ODIsin New Zealand but have named in the preliminary list of 30players for the World Cup.

But sources close to the selectors say that they are notconvinced that Yousuf is 100 percent match fit for a majortournament like the World Cup.

But Yousuf, who scored 63 for Lahore on Sunday, said hewas match fit or would not be playing in domestic cricket.

"I had some problem with a strained muscle while touringUAE for the South Africa series but now I have made a completerecovery. An unfit batsman cannot take three and two runsregularly during his innings," he said while referring to hisinnings.

Yousuf said that at times he was so upset with theattitude of the selectors that he felt that he should neverhave come out of retirement.

"In Pakistan it has become like a ''Sunnat'' (good deed)for selectors to drop and sideline senior players who aretheir peak."

Yousuf, 36, who has twice announced retirements in hiscareer spanning 90 Tests and 288 ODIs, said he was battingwell and knew he could still serve Pakistan cricket.

"I just hope they give me a shot at the World Cup becauseI know I can do a lot this time for the team in thetournament. It has been my dream to win the World Cup," Yousufadded.

He said it was the ambition of every player to go outwith a bang and if he got a chance to play in the World Cup hewould definitely think seriously about calling it a day frominternational cricket.

The selectors included Yousuf in the World Cuppreliminary squad on the insistence of one-day captain, ShahidAfridi who believes that the senior batsman has a strong roleto play in the World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladeshfrom February 19.