Displeased: Waqar, Mushtaq take pacers to task

Pakistan bowlers fail to implement strategies given by coaches in T20 against Bangladesh


Nabeel Hashmi April 26, 2015
Waqar Younis took Pakistan’s bowling attack to task for failing to implement the planned strategies in the one-off T20I against Bangladesh. PHOTO: PCB

KARACHI: Head coach Waqar Younis and spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed have finally taken Pakistan’s bowling attack to task for failing to implement the planned strategies in the one-off T20I against Bangladesh, which came right after an ODI whitewash against the hosts.

The bowlers looked out of sorts even after taking three early wickets as Bangladesh eased to a seven-wicket win after being set a 142-run target.

Shakib alHassan and Sabbir Rehman hardly met any resistance in finding boundaries and hit the bowlers with the utmost disdain.

World Cup hero Wahab Riaz failed to emulate his form for the T20I and looked lacklustre as he conceded 39 runs off his four overs, while Umar Gul struggled to move freely, giving away 23 runs in two overs.

Spinners Muhammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi also lacked any firepower, with only Sohail Taveer proving economical, giving away 16 runs in his three overs.

“Both Waqar and Mushtaq were furious with the bowlers for not implementing the given plan in the T20 match,” an attendant of the post-match meeting told The Express Tribune.

“They inquired why things didn’t go according to plan and why the fast-bowlers failed to bowl with a change of pace despite being told to do so.

“Everyone was given the example of Bangladesh’s debutant Mustafizur Rahman, who bowled with variations in his first outing, while the seasoned bowlers of Pakistan struggled.”

The attendant further said that the officials did not stop there and asked players whether they wanted the coaching staff to resign. “What do you people want from us? If you’re not satisfied with our methods then tell us where we’re going wrong. Everything was told beforehand, in which areas to bowl to different batsmen, but not a
single strategy was implemented,” the attendant quoted the coaches.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2015.

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COMMENTS (6)

Mirza | 8 years ago | Reply The irony is 11 players repeatedly fail but the selectors, coaches and others are targeted. Not a single player is criticized and even if they are the "mafia" becomes vocal and wants the heads of non playing staff. Should the staff go out and play or the players intentionally fail because of the bad coaching or bad attitude of staff? Did the old tried and tested spinners fail because of WY or Azhar? The fact is Afridi is a shadow of past, Hafeez and Ajmal cannot bowl great legal deliveries. Just like Naraine failed again. They have been great with their illegal tactics but not without that. Discarded Pakistani spinners can make Australian and S. African teams but not Pakistan? We have many more great spinners that only foreigners can identify and we are banking on these old guards of the past. What shame we were harsh on Misbah despite him being the best bat in the team but not holding these fake legends responsible. No matter what players were selected they failed miserably and this is a fact that cannot be denied.
Hassan Shah | 8 years ago | Reply Waqar has become an arrogant individual with no respect for the players (who are meant to be the next lot of national heros) And have lost value for the General national sentiment. It seems that he & najam sethi have "made of eachother" kinda relationship... .
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