Waqar Younis bowling legend now coach shares views on Pakistan cricket

The man often known as the Burewala Bombshell, none other than the one with batsmen hopping and stumps flying, Waqar Younis, was born November 16, 1971.

Waqar really put the reverse into swing in the early 1990s and with his toe-crushing yorkers, he bucked the 1980s trend of pitching fast and short. It was designed to smash into the base of leg stump or the batsman's toes.

Waqar's surging run was a glorious sight, as he was one of the fastest bowlers ever. Regardless of his immense pace attack, he had a unique technique of aiming for the stumps rather than the batsman himself. This always earned him the desired gratitude and results ranking him the best strike rate of any bowler with over 200 Test wickets.

Before long he was appointed as captain of Pakistan for the 2001 tour to England. And the results suggested that it was an inspired and encouraging move as he led by example, taking 7 wickets for 36 runs, the second-best figures in One Day International (ODI) history, playing against England at Headingly in 2001.

This was an astounding start to his captaincy but it had a catastrophic end when Pakistan toured South Africa for the World Cup 2003 but stood runner-up one too many times. They could beat only Holland and Namibia, leading to an unceremonious exit from the tournament. Unable to regain the determination, he announced his retirement in April 2004.

But in March 2006, he was asked again to start as a bowling coach under the team coach Bob Woolmer. This came out to be a successful stretch during which a number of bowlers prospered.

In the process becoming the fourth coach of the team in three year span, Waqar Younis regained his cricketing career as he was appointed by Pakistan Cricket Board in 2010 as the official head coach at any competitive level for the national team, which now sees him through to December 2011. "I'm absolutely honoured to take on the role and it is a very exciting challenge", said Waqar. "Hopefully I can deliver on the role. Cricket has given me a lot over the years and I want to give something back to cricket and country now. I've always played my cricket with passion and aggression and I want the team to play like that".

His first assignment was to aid and motivate Pakistan to prepare the young team defend the World Twenty20 crown in the Caribbean in April-May. "I'll probably have more control of various situations and have a say in more decisions. I really enjoyed my time as bowling coach, especially the first one under Bob”.

His motive was to try to induct the same kind of aggression and fire in the team, which was Pakistan's trademark in 1990s as was necessary to win and retain the title, but sorrowfully, the defending champions had to face defeat by the Australian squad in the semi-finals, who were the runner-up as England took the Cup.

Waqar has an insight for the betterment of the national team as it had been going down the faulty path for way too long. The year 2010 had been the worst in the history with way too many changes in the squad, yet the coach kept his nerves and put forth the need of a new breed of youngsters with the will and enthusiasm, plus the experience of some dignified senior players could undoubtedly lead the national team back again victorious.

"They [experienced players] are great players", Waqar said. "But I think it's the right time to indulge new players, and I believe Umar and Asad are no doubt very talented and have a bright future. We have not won anything significant over the last two-three years, but with youngsters in the side we have a hope to get back on a winning track".

Spot-fixing case: ICC record statements of Waqar, Afridi

The ICC anti-corruption and security unit has recorded the statements of Pakistan coach Waqar Younis, ODI captain Shahid Afridi and team security manager Colonel Khawaja Najam as part of its evidence building process in the spot-fixing case.

"The statements of these three Pakistan team members are part of the evidence documents and file prepared by the ICC against Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir," one well placed source aware of the case said.

"The statements of the three players were recorded especially while the ICC ACU was preparing its file of evidence against the trio," he said.

The source said that the lawyers for the three players were finding themselves short of time to prepare for the case as the ICC ACU has sent them a long list of documentary evidence against the three players.

The three players will attend a hearing of the ICC code of conduct commission tribunal in Doha from January 6 to 11 in which the three member tribunal decide if the ICC ACU have enough evidence to prove the charges against the tainted trio.

If the tribunals finds the evidence strong the three players face long term bans.

"The lawyers for the players are going through all the evidence sent to them by the ICC specially Aitzaz Ahsan who recently agreed to represent Salman Butt at the hearing," the source said.

He said the lawyers were working on a strategy to find technical lacunas in the ICC ACU code and the ongoing investigations by Scotland Yard into the spot-fixing charges against the three players and also in the method adopted to suspend the trio since August.

Khalid Ranjha, one of the lawyers who represented Butt in the ICC appeal hearing in Dubai in late October where the appeals of Butt and Aamir against their suspensions were rejected by the one-man tribunal, has already withdrawn himself from the case.

Ranjha has said the presence of Michael Beloff who sat on the one-man appeals tribunal on the three member code of conduct commission tribunal was contradictory and basically meant there was little chance for the trio to get proper justice.

"We objected to Beloff's presence in the full hearing since he has already rejected their appeals," Ranjha said.

Meanwhile the "Jang" daily newspaper has reported that the string of evidences collected against the three players was so strong that Butt and Asif face life bans while Amir could get some leniency because of his young age.

"The evidence collected by the ICC is very strong and Butt and Asif in all likelihood will get life bans or long term bans," the newspaper quoted sources as saying on Tuesday.

PCB asks players to avoid World Cup advertisements

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has advised five players, including captain Shahid Afridi, to avoid participating in advertising campaigns for next year's World Cup.

According to the Nation, Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Younus Khan, Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar had requested the PCB to release them for some days owing to their engagements.

However, the PCB has refused to give them clearance.

The board has also advised the players to concentrate on the training camp being arranged at the Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

Pakistan will begin the tour with a warm-up game against Auckland on December 23.

It will be followed by three T20s, two Tests and six ODIs.

Pakistan starts training for NZ tour

LAHORE: Pakistan’s cricket team started training at a camp set up in Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore, ahead of the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

Pakistan is to play three Twenty20 International, six one-day international and two Test matches during the tour. 

Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and other players joined the camp which will continue till December 15. 

Coach Waqar Younis is supervising the camp. 

On the first day of training, Team Manager Intikhab Alam told reporters that none of the players had sought the board’s permission to participate in advertisement shoots.

“The World Cup is just three months away. Players should only concentrate on their game,” he said. 

To a question, he responded that Javed Miandad will assume charge any time today