Waqar Younis vs. Waqar Younis

          Pakistan has always been a fertile soil of fast bowlers ever since Pakistan cricket has stepped on the international stage. However, the West Indians, Australians and English bowlers had laid their mark in this department. Seam, swing, bounce and lethal pace are the 4 words that summarize the classical bowling but it was no sooner that Sarfraz Nawaz added a new dimension in the fast bowling’s world. He introduced the world to the art of reverse swing in which the bowl swung in mid-air but entirely opposite to the new ball provided that one side should be rough and the other one was shiny. Sunil Gavaskar admired the invention in these words, “Instead of calling it reverse swing, people should call it that he is Sarfraz-ing the ball.” However the world could not master the trick but the illusion of reverse swing was learned rather quickly by the Pakistanis.

           16^th October, 1989, a young boy, around 20 years of age, with a 99 number on his jersey, steps into the SHARJAH Stadium, with a 99 number on his shirt, in a dramatic clash against the West Indian Giants. The world ad already seen Wasim Akram but they never knew what the Pakistan Cricket had more to offer. The 6 feet tall Pakistani pacer steams in and makes the batsmen smell the leather of the cricket ball. The kid goes wicketless in the first match but an economy of around 3.5 in a full 10 over quota lays a handsome impact. A month later on 16^th Nov, 1989, that boy comes in white outfit against his arch rivals in a test match against India. He rushes in and exploits the art of reverse swing at a dangerous pace of 150+ kph, right into the block hole and takes away 4 wickets in his debut and no sooner the he was famous with the title of “Burewala Express” and the world had recognized him, He was WAQAR YOUNIS. He became the pillar of Pakistan’s bowling attack and the two W’s combination became the most lethal bowling pair around the world.

          Waqar took reverse swing to an entire new level. The world called his swing “Banana Swing”. Initially the world could not absorb the way he was demolishing the stumps. They called him TEMPERER but he was an artist who proved his art every time he stepped into the ground. His reverse swinging Yorkers became famous worldwide. He was unfortunate that he could not be a part of ’92 squad due to an injury but still he had an excellent career. He was unlucky that he could not lift any World Cup for his team yet he had achieved some unbelievable records.

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          He had the highest strike rate before Dale Steyn with for a bowler with 350+ wickets. The seasoned bowler was quickest to 50, 300, 350 and 400 wickets. He is the only bowler to take 3 consecutive 5 wicket hauls. He became the youngest Pakistani Test skipper but at the back end of his career some conflicts with his colleagues, controversies and poor performance in 2003 World Cup forced him to step back from the World Cricket and in April,2004 he played his last match against Zimbabwe and retired from the International Cricket. The speedster took 416 wickets in 262 ODIs and 373 wickets in 87 Tests. His career best for ODIs was 7/36 and 13/135 in TESTS. Crossing the 100 mph mark and lifting the World Cup were the only 2 regrets that he had at the end of his career.

          As a player he was as good as one can imagine but soon he decided to transfer his talent and experience into the country’s youth. In 2006, he was appointed the Pakistani bowling catch but was later dismissed. In 2010 he became the head coach of Pakistan team. People had sky high expectations from the Burewala Express. World Cricket, especially Pakistan Cricket expected him to discover local talent as he was discovered by the Great Imran Khan. It was expected by every Pakistani Cricket lover that the Pakistani bowlers would learn the art of express pace reverse swinging Yorkers and other lines but none of this unfortunately happened.

          The winners of 2009 World T20 were thrashed out from the unbelievable semi-final of 2010 edition of World T20 by the Australian side. Sooner that year, though Pakistan won 2 T20s and 1 Test match, almost after 15 years, against Australia but the ban on Aamir, Asif and Salman Butt banished all the happiness from the Pakistani faces and hence the low morale cost Pakistan 3 losses in 3 series in 3 formats against England in England. This was the time when Waqar’s experience and talent hunting could have come into account but neither any alternative was discovered by the coach nor he refurnished the bowling. Afridi’s tremendous bowling form took the Green Shirts into the semis where the chasing ghost haunted Pakistan and they could not chase down a relative small total of 259 posted by the gigantic batting side of India and Pakistan went back home after a 29 runs defeat from India.

          His controversies or incompatibility was also not hidden from the media. It is also reported that Muhammad Hafeez stepped down from the 2015 World Cup campaign due to his arguments with Waqar Younis. The fact did not either go unnoticed that Waqar did not follow or monitor the local domestic cricket for hunting some talent neither he arranged sessions in order to teach or transfer the aggressive, lethal reverse swinging Yorkers or bouncers as he had been doing throughout his entire cricketing career. He took the time on such defensive mind-set that Pakistan had only chased 300+ runs one in the previous 6 years. What worse could happen that Bangladesh clean sweep Pakistan on their last tour to Bangladesh? Pakistan holds a record of 0-6 against Bangladesh in the past 6 meetings. Despite Test Rankings (Courtesy Misbah-ul-Haq), Pakistan currently stands on its lowest ODI rankings (9^th) in the history of Pakistan Cricket.

          One might wonder if he is the same Waqar who used to frighten the opposition with his outstanding bowling or is he some amateur whose coaching has coaching almost knocked Pakistan out of the Champion’s Trophy 2017. Still he stands a chance to prove himself in the all- important World T20, 2016 standing right in front of him. Let’s see if he can change the plot or not. Can he be a MASTER once again or does end up his coaching being DOMINATED by the world? This remains the question of every Pakistani.