By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik hit back at senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf Friday, saying that he was never disrespectful towards the player, who defected to the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) earlier this week.
“Yousuf has unfairly criticized me,” Malik said in an interview while responding to Yousuf’s criticism that he was meted out a shabby treatment by Malik and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
But Malik rejected Yousuf’s claim and made it clear that he harboured no grudge against him.
“I don’t agree with Yousuf’s criticism. Respect is something that only God can give, not us,” Malik said.
“I have played with senior players like Inzamam and Yousuf throughout my whole career and have learnt a lot from them. I am surprised at his accusation that I was disrespectful towards him,” said Malik.
The board opted for Malik, ignoring more senior players like Yousuf, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi for the job.
“I never felt Yousuf was upset over anything. In the domestic matches, everything was normal. All senior players have been supportive. Yousuf didn’t play in the last match because, I was told, his wife was ill,” said Malik.
Yousuf said in an interview earlier Friday that his decision to join the ICL was prompted by the attitude of the captain and the PCB rather than the money involved.
“Everyone is saying that I have joined the ICL because of money but the real reason was the attitude of the PCB and Malik, which forced me to join the league,” Yousuf said.
“Shoaib never gave me the respect I deserved.”
“The PCB must respect the senior players and if they don’t, more and more senior players will leave for the ICL,” he said.