Ton In Time

Pakistan vice-captain, Younis Khan has stamped his authority over the current cricketing fraternity with his magnificent 267 against the mighty Indians at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, to go with his thumping ton at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. What was particularly praiseworthy about his stupendous effort was the ease with which he just went on and on without showing the least signs of physical weariness and mental complacency. His running between the wickets with the notorious runner, Inzamam-ul-Haq was superb, as was his handling of Anil Kumble at the latter's own backyard. Khan has shown his mental fortitude to handle pressure situations after being severely criticised for a dismal performance with the bat as well as in the field in the Mohali Test. He has certainly matured over the years, which will surely inspire the largely inconsistent young guns like Yasir Hamid and Salman Butt to make best use of their latent potential. One thing Pakistan always has in plenty is natural talent and with the likes of Younis Khan, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria, it looks all set to attach the much-needed consistency to its game - something that is absolutely essential to cope with India in India.