LAHORE – Pakistan chief coach Waqar Younis has urged the selectors to maintain a balance between young and experienced players in a bid to build a strong cricket team and avoid a gap that would be created by dropping all the senior players.
Pakistan are to visit the West Indies for their immediate off-shore assignment to play a T20 game, five ODIs and two Test matches. The tour will start with a warm up match on April 18. Talking to journalists in his first interaction after his return from the World Cup, Waqar said that the overall performance was not bad. “It was not up to the mark, but it wasn’t that bad either,” he said.
“It is time to build a new team but that does not mean you replace all the players with youngsters like it was done after the 2003 World Cup. We need to maintain a balance between experience and the youth,” said Waqar. He said that Pakistan have an ideal opportunity to bring in fresh players but it should be done in a way that does not create any vacuum.
“I believe that we should groom young players along with experienced cricketers to maintain a proper balance in the team,” he said. He further said that the target in the semi-final was not that big to chase but it just happened due to the team’s poor fielding. “The target of 260 was achievable. Our fielding was too poor, which allowed India to score 260. I was astonished that Sachin Tendulkar kept getting chances and he kept building his innings,” he said.
Sachin was dropped four times and was named the man of the match for his 85 runs innings. Waqar further said that he cannot comment on the selection of Kamran Akmal and it would be the selection committee’s decision. Kamran Akmal floored Ross Taylor, who made 131 runs, in the first round match of the World Cup and New Zealand won the match by 110 runs, creating a stir in the media against the wicket-keeper.
“It’s the right opportunity to groom a wicket-keeper along with the team and the selection committee will be meeting today or maybe tomorrow to finalise the team. And they would be the right persons to take the decision over the wicket-keeper,” he said.
Warwickshire sign Yousuf: Warwickshire have agreed to a short-term deal with former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf after being let down by his compatriot Younus Khan. Younus signed an agreement with Warwickshire for two years after he was dropped by the PCB for his off-field antics, but he did not play for the county after his recall to the Pakistan team.
Yousuf, 36, is expected to be their overseas player for six weeks. Yousuf has applied for visa and would fly to figure in the season beginning form April 14 once he receives his visa. As Ashley Giles’ side do not compete until the second round of the County Championship fixtures on April 14, when they face Division One favourites Somerset, they have some leeway in getting ex-Lancashire player Yousuf registered.
