Twenty20 will 'finish Pakistan cricket'

Pakistan captain Mohamed Yousuf says he's worried too much Twenty20 cricket will "finish" cricket in his country.

The reigning Twenty20 world champions have taken a liking to the game's shortest format but Yousuf feels an over-emphasis is undermining players' ability to bat successfully in Test and even one-day cricket.

His comments came after Pakistan's 170-run defeat by Australia in the first Test, where, despite the hosts declaring in both innings, the tourists were dismissed for 258 and 251 on a placid MCG wicket.

In their past 14 Tests Pakistan have only passed 350 runs in an innings twice and the failures, according to Yousuf, relate to Twenty20 cricket.

"It used to happen before but now because of Twenty20 cricket no player knows how to stay at the wicket anymore," Yousuf told cricket website Cricinfo.

"Batsmen are finding it very difficult. I know the format has money, players get it and boards do but if Pakistan hypes up Twenty20 too much, Test and ODI cricket will really go down."

Pakistan hold the best win-loss ratio in international Twenty20 cricket and claimed the world championship in England earlier this year.

The format's popularity in Pakistan means most players are playing that form of the game at club level, and Yousuf says that has left the current crop of players unsuited to the longer forms of the game.

"Both in Tests and ODIs we have problems," Yousuf said.

"We struggle to bat 50 overs. Against New Zealand we couldn't make 212 in 50 overs. Everyone played shots and got out.

"Until players play with discipline and play ball to ball and leave balls they are supposed to we will struggle in ODIs, let alone Tests.

"If you see a ball, hit it because you have to score. But if you are going to slog all the time what is the point? I could have hit jumping out but unless you get a ball to hit what is the point?

"That is the point of Test cricket. It is necessary that Pakistanis, the media, the board, the fans realise that we (need to) play as little Twenty20 as possible.

"One domestic tournament is enough and a World Cup apart from that, but my belief is that you have to reduce Twenty20 heavily.

They shouldn't play it in club cricket - even there you play 20 overs, not 40-over matches.

"I only have two to three years left in my career but I worry Twenty20 will finish Pakistan's cricket."