Pakistan Cricket news/views

[Black_Warrior]

I agree we need a very good coach but Whatmore is not the answer. My personal pick would be Jamie Siddons. He is a brilliant batting coach and his greatest achievement as a coach was the improvement in Tamim and Shakib's batting. Bangladesh were stupid to sack him and Pakistan should definitely offer him the job.

[smalishah84]

yeah.......personally rate Whatmore very highly.......

no, we don't want the bangers coach, otherwise Ajmal will be eaten alive

[Muhammad akbar]

Dav Whatmore reached Lahore today by a private airline to hold his final round of talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials who Cricket Updates

[Black_Warrior]

I don't understand why you need a separate topic for this. Could easily go into this Pakistan Cricket news/views

[Fusion]

A really interesting and revealing interview with Wasim Akram. He doesn’t hold back on his answers! Some highlights:

A common theory doing the rounds is that since tape-ball cricket is very common in Pakistan, we produce a lot of fast bowlers. While in India, young cricketers play with the heavier MRF ball, which means not many young Indian fast bowlers are produced. Do you agree?

It is a good observation and could be one of the reasons, but I think the biggest factor is the difference in psyche. Fast bowlers, in India, arrive on the scene very quickly but they soon disappear (in a year or two), instead of going on to become quicker.

Look at the examples of Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel and so many others. They have now found another (fast bowler) in Umesh Yadav, let’s hope he can keep on going instead of fading away like the rest. They often lack the hunger and drive that is required to improve after hitting the big stage.

Did Malcolm Marshall also influence you?

Marshall shortened his run-up later in his career. I would talk to him and kept picking his brains whenever I could. I always thought (and still do) that Marshall was the most complete fast bowler cricket had ever seen.

Since we played against and with each other a lot, I would pester him with questions all the time and he always listened to me.

And then there was Imran. All the technicalities related to fast bowling, the mental grooming, reading batsmen’s mind, everything – I learned from him.

So Imran Khan was to you what Terry Jenner was to Warne?

Definitely. Especially when it came to fast bowling. Generally I had two mentors, him and Miandad.

You have said that you considered Sir Viv to be the greatest batsman you have bowled to. What was it like to face him as a bowler?

Viv was a different breed. It wasn’t just his batting, it was his aura. Over six feet tall; itnay itnay (these huge) muscles; no sign of any protection; forget arm or chest guards, not even a helmet. So that whole aura was intimidating for a young skinny bowler that I was back then.

However, I still got his wickets a few times. That, I should admit, was also because his greatest days were behind him. I am glad I faced him then and not earlier.

So no batsman worried or intimidated you ever?

If I had to pick someone it would have to be (Adam) Gilchrist in one-day internationals (ODIs).

But you do have some amazing dismissals against him (Gilchrist).

Yes, but he has hit me quite a bit as well, man. Gilchrist wasn’t an Afridi-type pinch-hitter. He was a proper batsman, who could hit you anytime, anywhere. Afridi sahib ka kya pata? 100 main say aik match main chalna hai baaqi ka pata nahi… (With Afridi, who knows? He’ll score in one match out of a hundred. The rest, you don’t know…)

Talk to us about the 1999 World Cup loss. Must be a low point in your career?

Very, very low. Forget the fact that we lost the final, the way we lost that match and the performance we gave…spineless!

How much did that hurt compared to 1996?

The feeling was very different. In 1996, it was more about the attitude of the players. We had players like Aamir Sohail. I was injured. They knew I was injured and couldn’t play the quarterfinal. Even before the match started, they (players) had started saying things like “we are going to lose the match.” Had we won, they knew it would make me a successful captain.

You see, these cricketers have spent their entire careers trying to bring me down instead of focussing on their game, which is why they were not able to perform well – they have always been distracted.

It is said that Inzamam always shielded himself by batting at number five. Do you agree?

Of course. If Inzi had come at one or two down, he would have been a different player. He would have had over 10,000 Test runs to his name. Unfortunately, he was always on the back foot, because he didn’t believe in himself, which was his biggest problem.

What was it like to play under Waqar’s captaincy? What did you think of him as a bowler and as a captain?

As a bowler, he was great. A great sight to watch, he was one of the greatest bowlers of all time. I don’t think I saw or will see a bowler like him ever again.

As a captain, though, he had no brains, no strategy and was always on the back foot.

If you could change your career with any other bowler, who would it be?

Malcolm Marshall.

You will exchange it, just like that…

Haaaan! Araam say. (Yes! Just like that).

Not Imran Khan?

No. As a bowler Marshall, as a leader Imran Khan, of course.

[Agent Nationaux]

Typical Wasim, blaming everyone around him.

At least Waqar became our coach and helped turn things around. What has Wasim done?

[G.I.Joe]

Cracking interview.

[Xuhaib]

its incredible how much bad blood does the 90's side has against each other. Wasim hated Waqar, Waqar hated Wasim. Afridi and Akhtar hated both Wasim and Waqar, Aamer Sohail hates every one. No wonder they never reached their potential despite being one of the most talented teams around.

[Faisal1985]

Originally Posted by Xuhaib

its incredible how much bad blood does the 90's side has against each other. Wasim hated Waqar, Waqar hated Wasim. Afridi and Akhtar hated both Wasim and Waqar, Aamer Sohail hates every one. No wonder they never reached their potential despite being one of the most talented teams around.

what a post...well put.

[Shri]

Was he stoned? Never read an interview of his before so it might just be him.

[salman85]

Read the whole interview from the website.Only the highlights make him look stoned.The entire interview is very 'Sober'

[salman85]

Originally Posted by Agent Nationaux

What has Wasim done?

Taken 916 international wickets.

[Agent Nationaux]

And match fix.

[Fusion]

Originally Posted by salman85

Read the whole interview from the website.Only the highlights make him look stoned.The entire interview is very 'Sober'

Agreed, the entire interview is actually very interesting. Especially the part about him evolving from using a tape-ball to a real ball. However, the "highlights" are a bit strong on his part. Tbf to him though, he's usually very outspoken in all his interviews.

[Prince EWS]

So Mohammad Sami has started the Pentangular Cup - Pakistan's most high-quality First Class tournament - with 14 wickets @ 9.

Chance of one last recall?