Will convince Younis to reconsider retirement: Butt

Karachi, June 25: Pakistan skipper Younis Khan may have announced his retirement from twenty20 internationals but PCB chief Ejaz Butt says he is confident of convincing the senior batsman to reconsider his decision.

Butt told reporters at the reception hosted by the Prime Minister for the World Cup winning team that he would talk to Younis and convince him to change his decision to retire from T20 cricket.

"There is no need to appoint a new captain for T20 cricket, this job will also be done by Younis. I am confident I can get him around and he will lead the side in all forms of the game," Butt said.

Younis, however, again told reporters that he had retired from T20 cricket after much thought and he would not change his decision.

"I didn`t take a hasty decision I thought about it and I think I have done the right thing," he said.

Butt also played down the issue of rewarding the players with cash awards for winning the T20 World Cup.

"I don`t think money is the issue here. I don`t think even the players are giving it priority. For them and for the nation the significance of winning the World Cup in these times is far greater," he said.

However, when pressed, Butt said that the board would announce its rewards for the players soon after consultations within the governing council members.

He also pointed out that under the central contracts signed with the players, the team was already assured of lucrative bonuses for winning the ICC tournament and the players for outstanding individual feats.

Butt refused to comment on the ongoing International Cricket Council meetings in London and also made it clear at this stage he could not say anything about the prospects of Pakistan restoring its hosting rights of their share of the 2011 World Cup matches.

But he did indicate that some tricky issues had been solved in meetings with ICC officials and representatives of the other World Cup hosts.

Butt has just returned from London and sources in the board said chief operating officer, Saleem Altaf would be attending the ICC meetings later this week.

Butt praised the team for winning the T20 World Cup against the odds.

"The players really worked hard for this achievement and I am sure they will continue to do well even on the coming tour of Sri Lanka."

The PCB Chairman said he had been assured by his Sri Lankan counterpart that the Pakistan team would be provided Presidential level security on their forthcoming tour and would be well looked after.