KARACHI: Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis begged for apology from the whole nation outside the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarter before presenting himself in front of the Fact-Finding committee.
“I am sorry to the whole nation for the hurt that our performance in the World T20 caused,” said Waqar while addressing the media. “We shouldn’t have performed so badly. I apologise to all the mothers of our nation. I apologise to my own mother even for the team’s dismal performance.”
Waqar then said that removing person or persons will not solve the crisis that Pakistan cricket is facing right now.
“People are saying that I should be removed. Chairman, chief selector and everyone else should be dismissed but will that solve the problems that Pakistan cricket is facing?,” he inquired. “A cosmetic surgery will not resolve our problems. We need to think deeply about it and find out the root cause of the downfall of our cricket.”
He further added: “Things are not right and everyone knows that. We cannot close our eyes to it. We need to remove politics from cricket. I will try my best to present all the findings and suggestions to the committee. We are trying that the in-house problems should be solved inside. It is high time that we make things right.”
On a question if he is worried about his future as head coach, Waqar said: “If the problems of Pakistan cricket can be solved with my departure then I am ready to leave not tomorrow but today. However, we are not here to discuss my future, we are here to discuss the future of Pakistan cricket. If we will not address the real problems then the situation will stay the same.”
He also criticised the role of stars in the game and said Pakistan cricket is in dire need of heroes who can save it. “Cricket is not a game of stars; it’s a game of heroes. We need to find heroes,” said Waqar. “
The 44-year-old also denied the rumours of grouping in the team and said that it is very clear that Pakistan team’s performance was bad in the World T20.
Everyone’s accountable: Inquiry committee seek former player’s advice
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Fact-Finding Committee, established to unearth the reasons for Pakistan’s dismal performances in the World T20 and Asia Cup, will meet coach Waqar Younis, team manager Intikhab Alam and chief selector Haroon Rasheed today.
It has been learnt that the committee — headed by Shakil Sheikh and includes members Iqbal Qasim and PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Subhan Ahmad — has also asked former chief selector and head coach Mohsin Khan to attend the meeting and discuss, what in his opinion, are the reasons for Pakistan’s poor showing in recent tournaments.
Apart from Mohsin, the committee has already met former captain Rashid Latif and Mohammad Wasim, while legendary batsman Javed Miandad has refused to meet with the committee as he wants several PCB personnel to resign first before he gives his opinions.
