The recent series of controversies have had the worst effect on the Pakistan cricket team in the last three decades, believes coach Waqar Younis.
“I think what has happened in the last three months, it has damaged the team more than it did in the last 25-30 years,” Waqar said.
Waqar, however, said that the team should forget the past and move forward and perform well at the international stage.
“Now it’s the time to look forward and see how we could perform well and win international matches,” The News quoted Waqar, as saying.
Following their disastrous tour of Australia in January-February, during which Pakistan did not win even a single match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) imposed bans and hefty fines on several players, including captain Mohammed Yousuf, and senior cricketers like Younis Khan, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Shoaib Malik, Shahihd Afridi and others.
Later, Mohammed Yousuf retired from all from of cricket in protest against the PCB’s ‘indefinite’ ban.
An arbitrator, however, removed the indefinite ban on Younis Khan and lifted a one-year suspension on Malik while revoking a fine slapped on Afridi and reducing fines on Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal.
Waqar also backed the selection of injury prone fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in the 15-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup.
“He (Akhtar) is fit, but I know it’s not easy to make a comeback because I have gone through this when I used to play international cricket,” he said.
“Akhtar would not be rushed back, we will try to blend him slowly back into international cricket,” added Waqar.
