Sharjah: Pakistan bowed to England’s might in all the three Twenty20 matches after putting up fierce battles. The third and final match of the series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday ended as the best among all the three after the match ended in a tie and the winner being decided through the Super Over. A fitter and agile England walked away as champions while the brunt of the blame for the defeat has fallen upon Pakistan team coach Waqar Younis, who had to candidly admit that his team’s opponents were younger and fitter and that made the difference.
Waqar, who is open to expressing his views, when asked whether the defeat was an eye-opener for the team, he said: “It’s a big eye-opener because we have seen a lot of things which were not obvious before and there was an obvious difference between the two teams. They [England] were younger and fitter than us and I think that made the difference. Twenty20 is fast cricket and that’s why we couldn’t match them.”
When Gulf News asked what is it that held back Pakistan from being as fit as England players, Waqar said: “Look, what happens in our three formats. People come and go and there are players for shorter time, playing for Tests, ODIs and T20s and to get them fit here is tough. So you can do only certain amount of work and it is important part is to have fitness camps back home. The National Cricket Academy got to start rolling and these guys should be launched from there and they have to get them fit.”
Waqar then went to even admit that he has no answers to many things that are happening especially the series of run-outs, many being comical with both the players reaching the same end. He even termed the run-outs as schoolboy errors. “To be very honest it is a huge problem, the manner in which they got run out is a schoolboy error. It’s not that you are playing new players as these players are seasoned. To be honest it’s not on, individuals have to think. Are they are worried about getting out? It’s a worrying sign and if individuals come under pressure like this then it’s not good for them as well as for the team. We will not be able to win anything,” he confessed.
When Waqar was asked why top players like Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood and Ahmad Shehzad are repeatedly failing, he said: “I don’t know and I don’t have the answer. They are not young like 18-or 19-year-olds and as far as the opportunities are concerned everyone, selectors and cricket board, know they get the most opportunities. I think selectors will have to think.”
To a query on whether he has identified the baggage of useless players, Waqar said: “It’s not my job to say goodbye to them. The selectors have been watching so they must have assessed the performance and fitness and they would be considering it. Saying goodbye is a bit early because we are going to have the World Twenty20 and so we have to find who are the players who can fill in.”
Does that mean Waqar was blaming the selectors for the defeats? “Look it’s a difficult situation. This is not the time to blame. I blame the selectors and they blame me so it’s a mutual responsibility and it’s time to sit down and work on that. It is important to keep bringing youth, because look at the England team they are young and vibrant. So we have to learn from them.”
