Former Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis relived some of his memories associated with the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which hosted its 201st One Day International (ODI) between Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Sunday. Waqar spent his childhood in Sharjah and said that the venue has always been special to him. He is currently commentating in the Pakistan hosted series against Sri Lanka. A website quoted Waqar as saying: “I used to sit on those green benches and watch matches with my relatives. In one of the matches, Imran Khan hit a six over the top into the car park. My uncle found that ball and gave it to me. I used to literally sleep with that ball next to me and kept it for a long time.” Later, it was Imran who introduced Waqar to international cricket after watching him bowl in the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore in Pakistan during a domestic match. Although the latter was being smashed to all parts of the park, his raw pace impressed the legendary all-rounder, who is considered to be one of the best captains of all time.
Imran also introduced many other youngsters to international cricket who went onto become legends, but none was as lethal as Waqar. The 40-year-old was a simple boy before moving to Pakistan and said that he used to meet celebrities at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. He added, “During matches, I used to be one among the boys trying to get autographs from the players. I also used to get to see many celebrities. I feel really good to be part of Sharjah cricket and this ground has been very nice to me.” Overall, UAE proved to be a great hunting place for the former fast bowler, as he took 114 wickets in just 61 ODIs in this region. Although pitches in this part of the world have never been favourable for fast bowlers, Waqar used his pace and reverse swing to deceive the batsmen. The dry conditions helped him bowl his trademark late in dippers, which often crashed into the stumps or hit the batsman’s pads.