Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
- Runs
- 44,825
Waqar Younis speaking on TV:
Multan Sultans
"I had been in talks with Multan Sultans for a while and I came to Karachi for that."
"Unfortunately, we couldn't close out a deal. Multan had already signed Wasim bhai as a Director so he will be making his team. So I probably don't come into his plans. I've probably never been in his plans!"
"I always wanted to be part of Multan Sultans as they're linked with my own city from Southern Punjab so it's unfortunate."
"I'm sure Wasim bhai will handle it well and will make a good team, he's done it before for Islamabad as well. If I don't come into the plans, it's fine as long as Pakistan cricket is benefitting."
Comments on women's cricket
"Twitter is a cruel place. I had clear intentions and had posted a well-thought out Tweet (about shortening length of innings). I related it with Tennis, where men play 5 sets and women play 3. But people, specially women got a little offended so I apologised."
"I'm not going to fight, it's their right to play cricket. They can play 50 overs or 100 overs if they want to."
Champions Trophy win
"Pakistan's win is very good for the country. It's a wonderful sign that teams are also now willing to tour the country. We needed the win a lot as a country and as a team. I'm happy that young players contributed heavily. I always say that younger players in the shorter versions of the game can bring results as they're quicker, faster and have more energy."
Leaked report
"I'm glad that whatever I said in my report is being implemeted. We want to see Pakistan cricket grow. I live in Australia and I feel that their players aren't much more talented than ours. We took 6-8 new players to the CT and won so that shows we have talent coming through. We need to groom that talent. I had written about academies, I recommended Mudassar Nazar and Inzamam-ul-Haq. This is the way forward."
2015 World Cup
"It's not true that I wasn't able to take decisions about the team. The fact is that Hafeez got injured just before the start of the World Cup so that was a big blow. We had to call Nasir Jamshed who was in bad form. Opening in Australia is very important and Misbah and myself felt that we needed experience at the top of the order. We wanted to play Younis Khan. Eventually we went with Sarfaraz even though he was not comfortable as an opener."
Foreign and local coaches
"Foreign coaches have been given a longer rope at times, that is true. The media also tends to criticise local coaches quickly. Perhaps we don't have faith and belief in our own people. I have no regrets. We did wonders in Test cricket, beating all teams. Perhaps we couldn't blossom in the shorter formats and I feel we're still in a process of adapting to modern cricket."
"The Board has now allowed a freer hand to the coach. Would it be possible in the past to send someone known as a 'big talent' home on the basis of fitness? It's not like I never told anyone about players' fitness issues but higher forces would exert influence and they would still be selected."
"I was very frustrated in the past but over the passage of time, I don't mind if I've been sacrificed or if I didn't get the same opportunity. It doesn't matter who has done it but the important thing for Pakistan cricket is that these things are happening now. Fitness and fielding is being emphasised on and there is team unity."
Kamran Akmal's recent comments
"I can only laugh at his comments. I don't know how he claims to know so much about the team under me. He didn't play any matches during my tenure. In my first tenure, he played three Test matches and made 24 runs including three ducks and the whole world knows about his keeping record. So after that if he complains about being dropped..."
"Another thing is that after being dropped, they suddenly start speaking a lot. While they are in the team, Vicky bhai is good, Vicky bhai is the best! He's complaining about me training players hard; perhaps if he was fit, he would have performed better. So he played those three Tests and then after that didn't play for a few years so I don't know where he is getting all these impressions about my coaching tenure from."
"As long as you keep playing these players, there's no problem. Same goes for Umar Akmal. If he plays in the Pakistan team tomorrow then Mickey will become Mickey bhaijaan."
Umar Akmal
"It's been several years since Umar Akmal made his debut yet we are still speaking about his talent. He failed seven fitness tests recently. He played his last Test in 2011. It's obvious he has some issues, he hasn't been able to settle down under any coach. How long can we persist with someone on the basis of talent? He has other off the field issues also."
"I feel that Umar should look into himself rather than looking for excuses. I feel sorry for him but he is doing injustice to himself. Even if Mickey Arthur said something to him, he said it for his betterment. He could have taken it positively."
"Umar has to go back to the basics. He needs to score heavily in first-class cricket to pressurise the selectors and coaches. Fifties won't be good enough. He needs to fix his fitness."
Training methods and fitness
"It's a myth that I worked the players too hard. I've played a lot of cricket myself, I played county cricket for 8-10 years so I have an idea about how much training who can do. The players who couldn't train or ran away from such things have made this up. Look at what's happening now. You can't survive without it."
"Look at India. The likes of Yuvraj and Raina have failed tests. Why are we crying about emphasis on fitness? Cricket has become a fast-paced game now. Fielding is a big aspect of the game and fitness affects that. We're still stuck on focusing on batting and bowling and if you dropped a catch, it's ok. This is not ok, there's no chance. Show me a bad fielder in the Indian or Australian team."
"Skill can only take you so far - after that it's hard work. Umar Akmal is a major example of this."
"Younis and Misbah are ideal examples of hard-working players. Misbah is going to play PSL, he takes care of himself and knows that without training, he can't survive. I don't think Younis will leave training even after he retires. I've never had a complaint about either of them. Younis and Misbah were the role-models. In meetings, I would say that these guys are the examples to follow. I am talking about my whole career in cricket - Younis is a prime example of fitness and commitment. He's brilliant."
"PSL teams and domestic cricket should also pay attention to fitness. The same tests that international players undergo should be used at other levels so that players who don't pass these aren't brought up to the international level."
"Fitness played a major role in the CT win. See some of the catches like the one Fakhar took, run-outs and some of the general fielding that stopped runs."
CT side
"I don't want to say we didn't deserve to win the CT as we played excellently but if you think the team is world-beaters, we're not. We need a lot of improvement and work. We can't sit back and think we'll beat every team in future. Fitness test results need to keep improving. Youngsters have shown that there is a lot of talent, now we need hard work."
Replacing Misbah and Younis
"It will take a long time. It's not as though some new player will come and start performing like Younis, such players come once in many years. Players and leaders like Misbah are rare too. But there is talent. Babar Azam is there though his start might not have been ideal in Test cricket. You need left-handers so you have Haris Sohail."
"I think Asad Shafiq should move up the order and bat at #4, he's mature enough now. The new batsman will come in at #6."
"Azhar has done well as an opener, he's changed his game. Hats off to him as he endured a lot of criticism. The best thing he did is that he gave up the vice-captaincy in Tests. His biggest quality is that he takes on challenges. He's made scores on such tough surfaces."
"Both Azhar and Asad are very hard-working and determined. They'll spend hours in the nets."
"Asad didn't get that many opportunities in ODIs. He got chances in patches but didn't get much success. He's also now tagged as a Test match player. I think PSL will help him to get out of that shell. He's a youngster and has a lot of time, he might start playing well in one-days. He's a wonderful kid, he's very humble and wants to learn and get better every day. He's never satisfied with his performances."
"Umar Akmal needs to follow Azhar and Asad, he has no other option left. If he doesn't understand that now, he never will. It's my request to him that if he wants to play cricket then he needs to forget sitting on media and saying that 'he abused me etc.'. Get better and challenge the coach."
Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain
"It's too early to tell about Sarfaraz as captain in all three formats. He's wonderful in T20s and knows what he's doing, he knows his players. He doesn't go into his shell and plays his natural game. In Tests, we need to wait and see. He's a wicket-keeper also and there is a lot of pressure, it takes a lot out of you. I don't know if you want to put him under so much pressure as he's an asset. The only other choices I can tell of are Azhar Ali, who I guess will learn with time or Asad Shafiq.
Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez in ODIs
"Shoaib Malik works really hard on his fitness. I think Hafeez needs to work hard, he has the potential and talent. I'm sure he will last also and he's an asset as he's an all-rounder. It's important that we have them both in 2019 but they need to stay fit."
PSL's importance
"It's done a lot of good for Pakistan cricket. Credit to Najam Sethi for this initiative. If PSL is to blossom and you get the maximum benefit, that will be if and when all the matches are played in Pakistan. You'll see where the team goes after that. The only difference between Indian and Pakistani players at the moment is confidence. They play in front of 50k-60k crowds while Pakistani players don't get that exposure so they're under pressure on the big stage."
Indian team at the top
"There is a new trend in Test cricket where teams don't lose on home soil. Even Pakistan doesn't lose in Dubai. Every team wins home series. The great Australian team used to beat all teams everywhere. Probably now England is one team that can give a fight overseas. If you can't win in other countries then it's the situation of everyone being lions in their own home. This is what is happening now. A couple of teams like Sri Lanka and Australia are going through tough times."
Test rankings system
"It's unfortunate that Pakistan and India aren't playing. They play their best cricket against each other, see the matches in the CT. The highest ratings and value is from Pak-Ind contests. It needs to be solved. It will be better for both teams and will be great for economy of both countries as well."
"No matter where they play in the world, the match has unmatchable value."
Things for PCB to focus on
"I don't think they will solve the issue but I feel we need to pay attention to domestic cricket. We need to fix the stadiums now that cricket is coming back. They should be prepared for matches. When we went to SA in 94, you couldn't tell they had been banned for 20 years. The teams need to be reduced so that quality of cricket improves. It's good to hear that the cricket balls in use are being changed."
Sohail Khan
"Sohail Khan is a very smart bowler. He has fitness issues and it's obvious that he struggles in his 2nd and 3rd spells. He need to stop with the gym work and focus on his endurance. His fielding can improve too. He's a decent batsman as well so he's a good cricketer. But the thing is that he can't return for a good spell though his first spell is usually very good. Stamina and endurance is very important for a fast-bowler. Big muscles are useless for me if I can't keep running in hard."
PSL fixing saga
"It's very unfortunate. Greed is a big problem. Players like Sharjeel are very hard to find, he was such a talent. It's so unfortunate. He doesn't even realise himself what a big mistake he's made. It's not been proven yet but it's a big setback for his career. Pakistan had found their David Warner and it's unfortunate but that's how life is."
Multan Sultans
"I had been in talks with Multan Sultans for a while and I came to Karachi for that."
"Unfortunately, we couldn't close out a deal. Multan had already signed Wasim bhai as a Director so he will be making his team. So I probably don't come into his plans. I've probably never been in his plans!"
"I always wanted to be part of Multan Sultans as they're linked with my own city from Southern Punjab so it's unfortunate."
"I'm sure Wasim bhai will handle it well and will make a good team, he's done it before for Islamabad as well. If I don't come into the plans, it's fine as long as Pakistan cricket is benefitting."
Comments on women's cricket
"Twitter is a cruel place. I had clear intentions and had posted a well-thought out Tweet (about shortening length of innings). I related it with Tennis, where men play 5 sets and women play 3. But people, specially women got a little offended so I apologised."
"I'm not going to fight, it's their right to play cricket. They can play 50 overs or 100 overs if they want to."
Champions Trophy win
"Pakistan's win is very good for the country. It's a wonderful sign that teams are also now willing to tour the country. We needed the win a lot as a country and as a team. I'm happy that young players contributed heavily. I always say that younger players in the shorter versions of the game can bring results as they're quicker, faster and have more energy."
Leaked report
"I'm glad that whatever I said in my report is being implemeted. We want to see Pakistan cricket grow. I live in Australia and I feel that their players aren't much more talented than ours. We took 6-8 new players to the CT and won so that shows we have talent coming through. We need to groom that talent. I had written about academies, I recommended Mudassar Nazar and Inzamam-ul-Haq. This is the way forward."
2015 World Cup
"It's not true that I wasn't able to take decisions about the team. The fact is that Hafeez got injured just before the start of the World Cup so that was a big blow. We had to call Nasir Jamshed who was in bad form. Opening in Australia is very important and Misbah and myself felt that we needed experience at the top of the order. We wanted to play Younis Khan. Eventually we went with Sarfaraz even though he was not comfortable as an opener."
Foreign and local coaches
"Foreign coaches have been given a longer rope at times, that is true. The media also tends to criticise local coaches quickly. Perhaps we don't have faith and belief in our own people. I have no regrets. We did wonders in Test cricket, beating all teams. Perhaps we couldn't blossom in the shorter formats and I feel we're still in a process of adapting to modern cricket."
"The Board has now allowed a freer hand to the coach. Would it be possible in the past to send someone known as a 'big talent' home on the basis of fitness? It's not like I never told anyone about players' fitness issues but higher forces would exert influence and they would still be selected."
"I was very frustrated in the past but over the passage of time, I don't mind if I've been sacrificed or if I didn't get the same opportunity. It doesn't matter who has done it but the important thing for Pakistan cricket is that these things are happening now. Fitness and fielding is being emphasised on and there is team unity."
Kamran Akmal's recent comments
"I can only laugh at his comments. I don't know how he claims to know so much about the team under me. He didn't play any matches during my tenure. In my first tenure, he played three Test matches and made 24 runs including three ducks and the whole world knows about his keeping record. So after that if he complains about being dropped..."
"Another thing is that after being dropped, they suddenly start speaking a lot. While they are in the team, Vicky bhai is good, Vicky bhai is the best! He's complaining about me training players hard; perhaps if he was fit, he would have performed better. So he played those three Tests and then after that didn't play for a few years so I don't know where he is getting all these impressions about my coaching tenure from."
"As long as you keep playing these players, there's no problem. Same goes for Umar Akmal. If he plays in the Pakistan team tomorrow then Mickey will become Mickey bhaijaan."
Umar Akmal
"It's been several years since Umar Akmal made his debut yet we are still speaking about his talent. He failed seven fitness tests recently. He played his last Test in 2011. It's obvious he has some issues, he hasn't been able to settle down under any coach. How long can we persist with someone on the basis of talent? He has other off the field issues also."
"I feel that Umar should look into himself rather than looking for excuses. I feel sorry for him but he is doing injustice to himself. Even if Mickey Arthur said something to him, he said it for his betterment. He could have taken it positively."
"Umar has to go back to the basics. He needs to score heavily in first-class cricket to pressurise the selectors and coaches. Fifties won't be good enough. He needs to fix his fitness."
Training methods and fitness
"It's a myth that I worked the players too hard. I've played a lot of cricket myself, I played county cricket for 8-10 years so I have an idea about how much training who can do. The players who couldn't train or ran away from such things have made this up. Look at what's happening now. You can't survive without it."
"Look at India. The likes of Yuvraj and Raina have failed tests. Why are we crying about emphasis on fitness? Cricket has become a fast-paced game now. Fielding is a big aspect of the game and fitness affects that. We're still stuck on focusing on batting and bowling and if you dropped a catch, it's ok. This is not ok, there's no chance. Show me a bad fielder in the Indian or Australian team."
"Skill can only take you so far - after that it's hard work. Umar Akmal is a major example of this."
"Younis and Misbah are ideal examples of hard-working players. Misbah is going to play PSL, he takes care of himself and knows that without training, he can't survive. I don't think Younis will leave training even after he retires. I've never had a complaint about either of them. Younis and Misbah were the role-models. In meetings, I would say that these guys are the examples to follow. I am talking about my whole career in cricket - Younis is a prime example of fitness and commitment. He's brilliant."
"PSL teams and domestic cricket should also pay attention to fitness. The same tests that international players undergo should be used at other levels so that players who don't pass these aren't brought up to the international level."
"Fitness played a major role in the CT win. See some of the catches like the one Fakhar took, run-outs and some of the general fielding that stopped runs."
CT side
"I don't want to say we didn't deserve to win the CT as we played excellently but if you think the team is world-beaters, we're not. We need a lot of improvement and work. We can't sit back and think we'll beat every team in future. Fitness test results need to keep improving. Youngsters have shown that there is a lot of talent, now we need hard work."
Replacing Misbah and Younis
"It will take a long time. It's not as though some new player will come and start performing like Younis, such players come once in many years. Players and leaders like Misbah are rare too. But there is talent. Babar Azam is there though his start might not have been ideal in Test cricket. You need left-handers so you have Haris Sohail."
"I think Asad Shafiq should move up the order and bat at #4, he's mature enough now. The new batsman will come in at #6."
"Azhar has done well as an opener, he's changed his game. Hats off to him as he endured a lot of criticism. The best thing he did is that he gave up the vice-captaincy in Tests. His biggest quality is that he takes on challenges. He's made scores on such tough surfaces."
"Both Azhar and Asad are very hard-working and determined. They'll spend hours in the nets."
"Asad didn't get that many opportunities in ODIs. He got chances in patches but didn't get much success. He's also now tagged as a Test match player. I think PSL will help him to get out of that shell. He's a youngster and has a lot of time, he might start playing well in one-days. He's a wonderful kid, he's very humble and wants to learn and get better every day. He's never satisfied with his performances."
"Umar Akmal needs to follow Azhar and Asad, he has no other option left. If he doesn't understand that now, he never will. It's my request to him that if he wants to play cricket then he needs to forget sitting on media and saying that 'he abused me etc.'. Get better and challenge the coach."
Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain
"It's too early to tell about Sarfaraz as captain in all three formats. He's wonderful in T20s and knows what he's doing, he knows his players. He doesn't go into his shell and plays his natural game. In Tests, we need to wait and see. He's a wicket-keeper also and there is a lot of pressure, it takes a lot out of you. I don't know if you want to put him under so much pressure as he's an asset. The only other choices I can tell of are Azhar Ali, who I guess will learn with time or Asad Shafiq.
Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez in ODIs
"Shoaib Malik works really hard on his fitness. I think Hafeez needs to work hard, he has the potential and talent. I'm sure he will last also and he's an asset as he's an all-rounder. It's important that we have them both in 2019 but they need to stay fit."
PSL's importance
"It's done a lot of good for Pakistan cricket. Credit to Najam Sethi for this initiative. If PSL is to blossom and you get the maximum benefit, that will be if and when all the matches are played in Pakistan. You'll see where the team goes after that. The only difference between Indian and Pakistani players at the moment is confidence. They play in front of 50k-60k crowds while Pakistani players don't get that exposure so they're under pressure on the big stage."
Indian team at the top
"There is a new trend in Test cricket where teams don't lose on home soil. Even Pakistan doesn't lose in Dubai. Every team wins home series. The great Australian team used to beat all teams everywhere. Probably now England is one team that can give a fight overseas. If you can't win in other countries then it's the situation of everyone being lions in their own home. This is what is happening now. A couple of teams like Sri Lanka and Australia are going through tough times."
Test rankings system
"It's unfortunate that Pakistan and India aren't playing. They play their best cricket against each other, see the matches in the CT. The highest ratings and value is from Pak-Ind contests. It needs to be solved. It will be better for both teams and will be great for economy of both countries as well."
"No matter where they play in the world, the match has unmatchable value."
Things for PCB to focus on
"I don't think they will solve the issue but I feel we need to pay attention to domestic cricket. We need to fix the stadiums now that cricket is coming back. They should be prepared for matches. When we went to SA in 94, you couldn't tell they had been banned for 20 years. The teams need to be reduced so that quality of cricket improves. It's good to hear that the cricket balls in use are being changed."
Sohail Khan
"Sohail Khan is a very smart bowler. He has fitness issues and it's obvious that he struggles in his 2nd and 3rd spells. He need to stop with the gym work and focus on his endurance. His fielding can improve too. He's a decent batsman as well so he's a good cricketer. But the thing is that he can't return for a good spell though his first spell is usually very good. Stamina and endurance is very important for a fast-bowler. Big muscles are useless for me if I can't keep running in hard."
PSL fixing saga
"It's very unfortunate. Greed is a big problem. Players like Sharjeel are very hard to find, he was such a talent. It's so unfortunate. He doesn't even realise himself what a big mistake he's made. It's not been proven yet but it's a big setback for his career. Pakistan had found their David Warner and it's unfortunate but that's how life is."
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