Honouring an iconic fast bowler

Waqar Younis's recognition was long overdue and should have come much earlier.

Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis will be inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame during the first Twenty20 between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on December 11. His inclusion means that there will now be five Pakistan cricketers in the elite list, which also features Hanif Mohammad, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. Waqar formed a potent partnership with Akram during his heyday and the pair was crucial in setting up Pakistan for some astonishing and memorable victories. At his prime, Waqar’s ability to swing the ball at high pace was a spectacular sight, inspiring a generation of fast bowlers to follow in his footsteps. The former fast bowler took the art of reverse swing to another, unprecedented level — so much so that the opposition was reduced to accusing him of ball-tampering, only to, later, accept that reverse swing was an art in itself.

Waqar’s dismissal of Brian Lara during the 1997 Test series, where the left-hander, somehow, managed to get his feet out of the way only for the ball to crash into the leg-stump is a sight forever etched in the memories of his fans. While his partnership with Akram was disrupted, due to controversies and fitness issues, both continued playing till the disastrous 2003 World Cup. A fast bowler, with a bag full of 789 international victims, met an unceremonious exit as fate finally got the better of his determination. However, he continued his cricketing career as coach and kept giving back to the sport. After a 24-year association with the game and 10 years following his retirement, he is finally being honoured and the ICC has recognised his long list of achievements and influence. This recognition was long overdue and should have come much earlier. Nevertheless his inclusion in the ICC Hall of Fame comes as a relief — his contribution needed to be recognised at the global stage. He was an iconic fast bowler, and a captain and coach who tried his best with the resources at his disposal, his numbers proving as much.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2013.

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