Younis Khan will lead Pakistan's cricket team in next month's Champions Trophy in India after the ICC slapped a four-match ban on captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, officials said.

"Younis will lead Pakistan in the ICC Trophy," Pakistan Cricket Board director Abbas Zaidi told AFP.

The International Cricket Council on Thursday penalised Inzamam for bringing the game into disrepute but absolved the star batsman of ball tampering charges after a two-day hearing in London.

The hearing followed a standoff in the fourth Test at The Oval after the Pakistani team refused to take the field on the fourth evening following a ball tampering row.

Umpires Darrell Hair of Australia and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies changed the ball over suspicions it had been tampered with, a decision which led to Pakistan's protest. The Test was awarded to England on forefeit.

Younis said Inzamam was a big loss for the elite tournament, which starts early next month.

"Inzamam is our key player but we will take this as a challenge and the team will try its level best to win the Champions Trophy, which is the second biggest event after the World Cup," Younis told AFP.

The stylish 28-year-old batsman has led Pakistan in two Tests and two one-day internationals, winning and losing one each in both forms of the game.

"It's a great challenge and honour to lead the country, and this current team is a well-knit side," he said. "If we play to our potential, we can do well."

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)