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Waqar still loves the game
By Steve Beachampe
Fielding practice broke up quickly.
It was not that the 40-50 youngsters honing their skills in an inner city Birmingham park lacked enthusiasm. Rather it was not everyday a world class bowling legend passed among them.
On an unrelentingly hot and humid evening, after six hours and seventeen fairly fruitless overs aimed at Surrey’s all-international XI, Warwickshire’s overseas capture Waqar Younis was fulfilling a commitment.
That is to promote the Lord’s Taverners Street cricket initiative, a youth cricket project among disadvantaged communities.
Waqar told the BBC Sport website: “As a kid in Pakistan we didn’t really have such coaching schemes. You relied on hard work, practice and sheer talent to reach a professional standard. These boys are lucky because if they’ve got ability then it’s likely to be spotted and developed, which is great for English cricket.”
For Pakistani cricket too perhaps? With so many English-based lads qualifying for Pakistan through birth or parentage rules, might we one day see a lad raised in, say, Leicester or Bradford representing Pakistan?
Waqar believes it is unlikely. He said: "The opportunities here are far greater. Back home we don’t have much of a first class structure, so they’re unlikely to migrate there to establish a career. Plus, we’ve got a big population, passionate about the game, so I guess **the Pakistan Cricket Board aren’t short of would-be Test stars. **
“It’s great these English kids support us, but playing Test cricket is an honour and an achievement, whichever the country, and if the chance comes then you must take it.”
It is an arena Waqar seems reluctant to leave. His departure as skipper, following Pakistan’s recent World Cup failure, was widely expected to signal the end of an illustrious career, after 87 Tests and 373 wickets.
**While long time opening strike bowl partner Wasim Akram announced his retirement and accepted the PCB’s offer of a farewell appearance in September’s one-day series against South Africa, Waqar has not yet indicated whether he will take up the PCB’s call to make the occasion a joint celebratory swansong.
He said: “I only know what I’ve read in the press. I’ve had no formal offer so it’s really difficult to make a decision. I still love my cricket, play hard and believe I’ve got something to offer, but I’d like to see out the English season before deciding.” **
Events however, may force the issue.
If the PCB’s offer is official, then Waqar’s recent public criticism of Shoaib Akhtar, calling him “arrogant and self-hyped” and the emergence of exciting young pace bowler Mohammed Sami, may harden their resolve that it’s time to move on
If so, then Waqar will miss the chance of one more shot at Pakistan’s greatest rivals India, should the mooted resumption of Tests, after a five year hiatus, come to pass next February.
Nonetheless, he would still like the fixture back on. He said: “The world’s missing out on some of the best cricket around and we really need to get back to playing each other. But I’ve not been home much since the World Cup, so I’m unsure of the politics.”
**And Waqar still wants to be involved in the game somehow. He added: “I know only that when I retire I don’t intend walking away from the game. Media work, coaching, helping young cricketers in Pakistan, I hope they’ll all be options.” **
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The whole PCB farewell issue has been discussed to death here. So I’ll just say that I think it was very very rude and disrespectful of the PCB to have done what they did.
However, what I was really interested in in this article was the last little bit.
I’ve heard Waqar speak in bits and pieces but never for long enough to make a conclusion. But my impression from his speaking skills is that he can definitely be a very successful commentator. I’d love for him to be a successful media man. And if he coaches the young ones and can transfer half of his own mental stength into his charges, he will have given Pakistan some great prospects.
All the best Wicki.