DUBAI // Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan cricket captain, last night drew a line under his dispute with teammate Mohammed Yousuf as his side settled in the Emirates ahead of a two-match Twenty20 series against England here. Yousuf, the captain on the tour of Australia, and Malik have blamed each other for the team's poor performance on their recent tour to Australia, where they lost all their games.
They traded allegations again on Saturday in front of a six-member inquiry committee set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board to look into the team's failure on the tour. Yousuf had reportedly called Malik a disruptive influence, but the stand-in Pakistan captain said he was looking to the future and not the past. "We appeared before the six-member probe committee [on Saturday] and I told them what I had to," said Malik, who is leading the team as Shahid Afridi, the regular Twenty20 captain, is serving a two-match suspension for ball tampering.
"When you lose, these things of course come up. But that's history now. I just want to concentrate on my cricket. "We had quite a few meetings and we talked about everything that happened in Australia. You always learn from your mistakes." Malik said Pakistan cricket will come out stronger from the turmoil. "Whatever is happening is for the betterment of Pakistan cricket and I am sure it will help the team," he said.
"Anyway, the Australian tour and everything that followed is history now, and we are looking forward to these two matches. "We did not play well in Australia, but we have worked hard for these two matches and we will be looking to utilise these opportunities before the World Twenty20." Pakistan take on England at Dubai Sports City on Friday and Saturday. arizvi@thenational.ae