Re: SHOAIB MALIK
Very interesting information raju sahib. I am glad that you provided us with some definitive and firsthand information about the dynamics of wasim-waqar relationship. Over this forum, myself and Nikema have argued for years that wasim destroyed waqar’s career deliberately and had Waqar played cricket on regular basis for those three years when wasim was in charge of the team, waqar’s records would have been much better. But such is the blind loyalty among some of the forum members for wasim akram that they will simply keep blaming waqar younis for everything. One popular blame is that waqar was a spent force by 1996 which is not true at all as demonstrated by waqar once he got a chance after Jawarrie wasim left the captainship. I hope that wasim’s followers would at least listen to you who witnessed the cricket politics first hand and realize what type of person wasim was.
No one and I repeat it again; no one can ever question the talent that wasim possessed but the way wasim destroyed the very fabric of our cricket, demolished the reputation of Pakistani cricket forever by participating in JUWA and politicized the dressing room atmosphere is also unparalleled. I am glad that you are providing all of us with first hand commentary of some of these very important events that transformed Pakistani cricket in a negative way. If you ever get a chance and if you feel comfortable, could you also comment on Juwa part and wasim akram/salim malik role in it. I call 1993 to 2003 the “Dark Period” of Pakistani cricket. It is ironic that within this period Pakistan produced the best talent but at the same time our cricket became so politicized that common people simply lost interest in it. Who was responsbile for it especially from Juwa standpoint?