Younis unavailable for final ODI

Younis Khan, the Pakistan vice-captain, is unavailable for selection for the final one-day international against West Indies at Karachi on Saturday because of his brother's death last week. Younis had missed the third and fourth ODIs as well. However, Mohammad Yousuf, who also missed the fourth ODI at Multan to be with his sick wife, is certain to play at Karachi.

"Younis doesn't feel he is in the right frame of mind presently. At the same time we felt it would be an unwise move to ask him to play after this latest bereavement in his family. Our sympathies are with him," Wasim Bari the chairman of selectors, told Dawn. "Yousuf is a definite starter for the Karachi match."

Bari was hopeful that Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, would recover from a finger injury in time for Saturday's encounter. Inzamam had injured the little-finger in the field during the third ODI and needed three stitches on his left hand.

Pakistan were leading 2-0 in the series after the first match was washed out but West Indies pulled one back at Multan where Pakistan were without Inzamam, Younis and Yousuf to keep the series alive.

Shahid Afridi, whose poor form continued at Multan, could get another opportunity to come good at Karachi and Mohammad Sami was also likely to play. Bari hoped that Pakistan would be able to field their strongest team and said that no drastic changes were necessary at this stage of the series.

Probable squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami, Rao Iftikhar, Abdur Rehman, Faisal Iqbal, Shoaib Malik, Danish Kaneria.