Even a full-strength Sri Lanka would be no match for Pakistan: Yousuf

Batting legend Mohammad Yousuf on  Thursday welcomed Sri Lankan team's arrival and deemed it  a good omen for Pakistan cricket but  claimed that there is massive gulf of quality between the two sides.

"The Sri Lankan team's arrival is a good sign for Pakistan cricket. It will enable cricket fans in Pakistan to watch cricket in stadiums," he said.

"It is being said that Sri Lanka's prominent players have not come. I feel that that does not matter. Their mere arrival is a good thing."

Yousuf, however, underplayed the challenge that even a full-strength Sri Lankan team would have posed. 

"If they had all their players, even then Pakistan would have been a lot better than Sri Lanka because their current side does not have a Muralitharan or a Sangakkara or a Jayawardene."

The mandatory Misbah attack

The former cricketer then delved into his favourite topic of the recent times: the merit of head coach and chief selector Misbahul Haq's appointment.

Yousuf alleged that Misbah, as a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) cricket committee, forced the former coaching regime out on purpose.

"Because he himself wanted the job, Misbah opposed the former coaching regime the most as a member of the committee. It is why I say that his appointment was not on merit," he explained.

Yousuf said that bowling coach Waqar Younis was more qualified for the head coach's position.

“I am appalled that how could Waqar Younis settle for the bowling coach’s role when on merit he should have been the head coach and chief selector,” he said.