Why does the Wasim Akram vs Waqar Younis rift exist?

[Major]

Due to the recent Multan Sultan news of Waseem not hiring Waqar as coach and TV channels making it into a headline, alot of journalists have picked this up as that both still have reservations.

I have often read about the Waseem vs Waqar stories, how both hated each other, but i want to know what was the actual reason of disliking each other and how did it all started.

 

[Suleiman]

There doesn't have to be some big reason. Sometimes 2 people have personalities that clash and can't get along with each other. Happens in workplaces all the time but you try and put up with those people. Happens in sports teams as well. I doubt it is some major (hah) reason, would like to hear it if there is.

 

[Major]

There doesn't have to be some big reason. Sometimes 2 people have personalities that clash and can't get along with each other. Happens in workplaces all the time but you try and put up with those people. Happens in sports teams as well. I doubt it is some major (hah) reason, would like to hear it if there is.

but both of them made efforts to drop one another or undermine one of them.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Power struggle by two big egos.

 

[TheNightWatchman]

When you have immense talent you are bound to have an immense ego. And when two of those happen at the same time...

 

[PakLFC]

Much of it is the fault of the media. They don't hate each other rather just wanted to to be the best Pak bowler when they were playing. It is like the Imran-Sarfaraz rivalry of the 1970's and 1980's.

 

[ammar_merry]

Contemporary hall of fame cricketers.
They should not work for same franchise in my opinion where one would be working as subordinate.

 

[Robert]

When you have immense talent you are bound to have an immense ego. And when two of those happen at the same time...

There are also many enormously skilled individuals who are very humble.

 

[IMMY69]

What did Wasim say in his Legends of Cricket?
Something like "We're not like brothers but more like sisters.."

 

[Asim_khan]

Read somewhere recently that they were absolute best friends and that It seems to have all started when Wasim was made captain in 1993 and Waqar vice captain, Pakistan were 40 odd all out vs West Indies and Wasim had a go at the team and Waqar had a go at Wasim in front of all the other players, totally undermined him. Anyway this snowballed to the point both got a gang of chamchay around themselves and were actively at war with each other for years, fighting over the captaincy etc.

 

[Asif khan]

Started in '93ish when Waqar and co. led a revolt against Wasim, before that, they were inseparable, celebrated like crazy when either got a wicket etc.

After that, they have never really got on BUT I really believe Waqar has moved on but Wasim still hasn't forgotten that revolt and probably never will.

 

[Zaz]

I think theyre past all that business from the playing days

Theyre 2 strong minded individuals who probably dont want to create any issues again so feel lets not rock the boat

No a biggy in my opinion

 

[Saj]

Interviewed Waqar recently and asked him about this.

It was all to do with the mutiny against Wasim when he was skipper. 13 or 14 players revolted against his captaincy and Wasim felt it was instigated by Waqar, so he could replace him as captain.

 

[Ab Fan]

It's not true. Waqar includes Wasim in his all-time XI, if there was rift he would have dropped Wasim and chose Zaheer Khan but he didn't.

 

[Asifnow]

Interviewed Waqar recently and asked him about this.

It was all to do with the mutiny against Wasim when he was skipper. 13 or 14 players revolted against his captaincy and Wasim felt it was instigated by Waqar, so he could replace him as captain.

and was it instigated by Waqar/?

 

[hitthestump]

It's not true. Waqar includes Wasim in his all-time XI, if there was rift he would have dropped Wasim and chose Zaheer Khan but he didn't.

This might be the first time i've ever seen Wasim Akram and Zaheer Khan mentioned in the same sentence.

 

[Saj]

and was it instigated by Waqar/?

Not according to Waqar.

There were some big names and old-timers in that dressing room.

 

[Savak]

Not according to Waqar.

There were some big names and old-timers in that dressing room.

Waqar states he was pressurized by the other players to be the face of the revolt but he never organized or instigated it.

 

[Saj]

Waqar states he was pressurized by the other players to be the face of the revolt but he never organized or instigated it.

Many of the players weren't happy with Wasim's behaviour towards them and felt that captaincy went to his head.

 

[Savak]

Many of the players weren't happy with Wasim's behaviour towards them and felt that captaincy went to his head.

Lol, he was trying to behave like Imran Khan. Wasim in his autobiography admits he was young, inexperienced and that his style of berating players badly in the field, dressing room without acknowledging that even Imran Khan was careful with how he spoke to Javed Miandad, Mudassar Nazar, Abdul Qadir e.t.c. backfired on him. However he states what hurt him the most is that he had invited the entire Pakistani Cricket team for dinner at his place one day earlier to his place and any problems, issues that existed could have easily been sorted and resolved. He felt backstabbed when the same players revolted against him.

Many players who were involved in that revolt now regret it i.e. Rashid Latif and co and claim that yes Wasim Akram like Younis Khan needed to learn to be more calm and disrespectful towards his team mates but having him forcefully removed in this manner was not the right thing to do and it set a dangerous precedent and created further tension in the team. Wasim in his captaincy stints from 1995 to 2000 was a much better and mature captain.

But i personally think this Wasim Akram captaincy revolt saga was karma for him. Why does no one talk about the revolt against Javed Miandad in 1993? On what grounds did PCB sack him as captain and replace him with Wasim Akram? Was Wasim Akram not involved in stabbing Javed Miandad in the back? Did Javed Miandad fume about it for so many years and undermined the people who contributed to the revolt in 1983 and 1993?

 

[Ab Fan]

This might be the first time i've ever seen Wasim Akram and Zaheer Khan mentioned in the same sentence.

Haha, obviously the Zaheer part was just to spice up a bit but only for fun.

On topic, some time back I read Allan Donald's old interview where he gave his opinion on Wasim and Waqar and he said that both were great bowlers but it did looked like there was always some kind of jealousy or rift between the duo or something that didn't went along for both.

 

[Markhor]

From what I've read, there was a power struggle after Imran left the scene after the 1992 World Cup. Javed Miandad was his successor but inevitably succumbed to a player mutiny because of his terrible man management.

Some players wanted the more senior Saleem Malik to replace him, but Wasim Akram got the nod and was probably Imran's favoured pick. However I think even Wasim himself today would admit he lacked the maturity for the role.

The relationship between Wasim and Waqar disintengrated supposedly after the 1993 Total Tri-Series in South Africa when Pakistan were bowled out for 43, and Wasim had a go at the boys. Waqar, his deputy, snapped back and the two were barely on talking terms. Waqar led a mutiny and Saleem Malik became captain.

Later, when Wasim was appointed captain a second time he began to sideline Waqar as youngsters like Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood emerged. As Pakistan reached the 1999 World Cup final, Waqar was a peripheral figure. It prompted this outburst from Waqar:

"Selectors kept on selecting me and he kept pushing me out," said Waqar. "He was unfair to me, the fans and the game of cricket. I have been sitting on the bench for the past 18 months. Is that fair?

"He is a great cricketer, and I respect him as a cricketer, but I cannot call him a great human being. If he has a grudge against me, the best place to settle that is inside a room and not at the ground."

After the Qayuum Report practically barred Wasim from ever becoming captain again, Waqar eventually became captain himself. However by the 2003 World Cup you essentially had two camps. Waqar's camp - and Wasim's camp which included guys like Akhtar, Afridi, Razzaq and Yousuf. The two would supposedly pass messages via Inzamam who was a respected neutral.

Basically, it's a story of two out of control egos whose antics meant Pakistan were perennial underachievers in the 1990s. For all their matchwinning genius, they also cost Pakistan a lot of games with their rubbish which wouldn't have been tolerated by a strong and competent Cricket Board which we sadly did not have in the 90s. That's why I appreciate the 1980s generation far more - for better or worse Imran was the boss. Period. End of. And they realised their potential and eventually won the 1992 World Cup.

 

[hitthestump]

From what I've read, there was a power struggle after Imran left the scene after the 1992 World Cup. Javed Miandad was his successor but inevitably succumbed to a player mutiny because of his terrible man management.

Some players wanted the more senior Saleem Malik to replace him, but Wasim Akram got the nod and was probably Imran's favoured pick. However I think even Wasim himself today would admit he lacked the maturity for the role.

The relationship between Wasim and Waqar disintengrated supposedly after the 1993 Total Tri-Series in South Africa when Pakistan were bowled out for 43, and Wasim had a go at the boys. Waqar, his deputy, snapped back and the two were barely on talking terms. Waqar led a mutiny and Saleem Malik became captain.

Later, when Wasim was appointed captain a second time he began to sideline Waqar as youngsters like Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood emerged. As Pakistan reached the 1999 World Cup final, Waqar was a peripheral figure. It prompted this outburst from Waqar:



After the Qayuum Report practically barred Wasim from ever becoming captain again, Waqar eventually became captain himself. However by the 2003 World Cup you essentially had two camps. Waqar's camp - and Wasim's camp which included guys like Akhtar, Afridi, Razzaq and Yousuf. The two would supposedly pass messages via Inzamam who was a respected neutral.

Basically, it's a story of two out of control egos whose antics meant Pakistan were perennial underachievers in the 1990s. For all their matchwinning genius, they also cost Pakistan a lot of games with their rubbish which wouldn't have been tolerated by a strong and competent Cricket Board which we sadly did not have in the 90s. That's why I appreciate the 1980s generation far more - for better or worse Imran was the boss. Period. End of. And they realised their potential and eventually won the 1992 World Cup.

Great post. The 80's had the better personalities but ultimately paved the way for our most talented group of players ever in the 90's.

It's incredible how we look back now and realise that the ego-war between our two best fast bowlers played a massive part in the underachievement of this generation.

The 2003 world cup really does sum it up. This was the last WC for the legends and arguably the most talented side on paper that Pakistan have ever put together. Even then they could not put aside or sort out their differences. Instead they let it happily run through the entire camp. Everyone must have been very used to it at this point.

Who knows what could have achieved in the 90's had Imran took a coaching role shortly after retirement.

 

[Savak]

From what I've read, there was a power struggle after Imran left the scene after the 1992 World Cup. Javed Miandad was his successor but inevitably succumbed to a player mutiny because of his terrible man management.

Some players wanted the more senior Saleem Malik to replace him, but Wasim Akram got the nod and was probably Imran's favoured pick. However I think even Wasim himself today would admit he lacked the maturity for the role.

The relationship between Wasim and Waqar disintengrated supposedly after the 1993 Total Tri-Series in South Africa when Pakistan were bowled out for 43, and Wasim had a go at the boys. Waqar, his deputy, snapped back and the two were barely on talking terms. Waqar led a mutiny and Saleem Malik became captain.

Later, when Wasim was appointed captain a second time he began to sideline Waqar as youngsters like Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood emerged. As Pakistan reached the 1999 World Cup final, Waqar was a peripheral figure. It prompted this outburst from Waqar:



After the Qayuum Report practically barred Wasim from ever becoming captain again, Waqar eventually became captain himself. However by the 2003 World Cup you essentially had two camps. Waqar's camp - and Wasim's camp which included guys like Akhtar, Afridi, Razzaq and Yousuf. The two would supposedly pass messages via Inzamam who was a respected neutral.

Basically, it's a story of two out of control egos whose antics meant Pakistan were perennial underachievers in the 1990s. For all their matchwinning genius, they also cost Pakistan a lot of games with their rubbish which wouldn't have been tolerated by a strong and competent Cricket Board which we sadly did not have in the 90s. That's why I appreciate the 1980s generation far more - for better or worse Imran was the boss. Period. End of. And they realised their potential and eventually won the 1992 World Cup.

To be fair to Wasim, Waqar was fat, a shell of his former self from 1999 onwards. Just look at the tour of India in January 1999, Wasim, Saqlain put pressure on India only for Waqar to come and leak boundaries, he had lost a lot of pace, he was badly struggling with his rhythm and was ineffective with the old ball. I don't blame Wasim at all for making the best decision for the team at the time and playing Shoaib in place of Waqar. Shoaib grabbed his chance with both hands.

Being dropped for a very long time period and no longer being an automatic pic in the side, helped Waqar to wake up, smell the coffee that he was no longer going to play on past performances and reputation and that he would really need to go back to the drawing board to get selected again.

He then joined a bowli camp set up by Sarfaraz Nawaz and the U19 camp and it literally was like going back to the sawdust again. He eventually lost the excess weight he had put on and his run up, rhythm had improved and he was able to win a recall back into the side. However you can't fight injuries and father time, inspite of his best efforts he was not the same bowler as he was from 1989-1998.

But I don't think Wasim Akram was unfair to Waqar at all in 1999. The others were much better options for Pakistan at the time

 

[CleverSir]

The 2003 world cup really does sum it up. This was the last WC for the legends and arguably the most talented side on paper that Pakistan have ever put together. Even then they could not put aside or sort out their differences. Instead they let it happily run through the entire camp. Everyone must have been very used to it at this point.

Who knows what could have achieved in the 90's had Imran took a coaching role shortly after retirement.

While I agree with the general gist of your post, I don't think the 2003 team was that strong. I think 1999 was probably the best team we'd put into a WC. In 2003 W&W were well past their prime. Saeed Anwar had lost his daughter and moved towards Tableegh and his heart wasn't in cricket anymore. That team was a shell of its past. Inzi while immensely talented could never get his fitness under control to become the giant he could've been. It was just a team on its last legs. Also, no one was getting past Australia.

 

[Savak]

The 2003 ODI WC squad was only good on paper, in reality most of those players were either way past their best, were carrying niggles, injuries or to unfit, out of form.

Saqlain was finished, Afridi was out of form, Razzaq was out of form, Akhtar was carrying niggles, Waqar was a new ball bowler at best and way past it, Wasim was also past his best, Saeed Anwar was coming into the tournament in poor form and was not the same player, Azhar Mahmood was carrying injuries. Inzamam was out of form.

The PCB rightfully performed a clean up job at the end of the tournament and moved on from most of the players from the 90's.

 

[Junaids]

To be fair to Wasim, Waqar was fat, a shell of his former self from 1999 onwards. Just look at the tour of India in January 1999, Wasim, Saqlain put pressure on India only for Waqar to come and leak boundaries, he had lost a lot of pace, he was badly struggling with his rhythm and was ineffective with the old ball. I don't blame Wasim at all for making the best decision for the team at the time and playing Shoaib in place of Waqar. Shoaib grabbed his chance with both hands.

Being dropped for a very long time period and no longer being an automatic pic in the side, helped Waqar to wake up, smell the coffee that he was no longer going to play on past performances and reputation and that he would really need to go back to the drawing board to get selected again.

He then joined a bowli camp set up by Sarfaraz Nawaz and the U19 camp and it literally was like going back to the sawdust again. He eventually lost the excess weight he had put on and his run up, rhythm had improved and he was able to win a recall back into the side. However you can't fight injuries and father time, inspite of his best efforts he was not the same bowler as he was from 1989-1998.

But I don't think Wasim Akram was unfair to Waqar at all in 1999. The others were much better options for Pakistan at the time

That's brutal, but fairly accurate.

I would word it differently.

Wasim Akram emerged in late 1984 when he was 17. He was one of those absurdly young Pakistani pace bowling prodigies, and he lasted as a top class bowler until the age of 35 because he was tall and could swing the ball both ways. The 1992 Wasim Akram bowled at 140-148K whereas the 1999 Wasim Akram bowled at 135-143K, and it didn't make much difference.

Waqar was different. He was short and completely reliant upon pace until the South Africa tour in 97-98, where he had started to become an expert new ball bowler for the first time in his life. But the thing is, Waqar was nowhere close to his official age: when he emerged as the Burewala Bombshell on TV in late 1989 at the age of "18" he was actually around 23 or 24 years of age.

Nobody bats an eyelid at the fact that Curtly Ambrose made his Test debut at the age of 24 years and 7 months. Kyle Jamieson just debuted at 25 years 1 month, while Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer were both 24.

But Waqar Younis for some reason was presented as 5 years younger than his true age.

So in South Africa in early 1998 Waqar Younis was officially 27 but realistically was 32. Shoaib Akhtar now had the pace that Waqar no longer did, and while Waqar did well with the new ball on green wickets operating around 135-138K, eighteen months later in Australia he was now 33 or 34 years old and was basically a short inswing bowler operating in the 132-135K pace range.

Just like Azhar Ali only reached the captaincy when he was no longer good enough to get into the team, the same thing happened with Waqar Younis. He took 54 wickets in 16 Tests as captain at an average of 26.63, compared with a previous record of 318 wickets in 70 Tests at 22.80. But in those final three years as skipper the bowling attack should have been Wasim Akram / Shoaib Akhtar / Abdul Razzaq / Azhar Mahmood / Mushtaq Ahmed.

In fact, Waqar should have been pensioned off after the Australian tour in 1999-2000. He would have finished with 279 wickets in 58 Tests at an average of 22.09.

 

[Savak]

I have been Stabbed in The Back : Wasim Akram ‹ Welcome to Gautam Bhattacharya's Blog

Wasim Akram interview from 1994 immediately after the revolt and his fresh answers which will answer a lot of questions behind what happened in 1994

SPORTS WORLD: Reports reaching here suggested that there was a rebellion in the Pakistani camp solely to get Javed Miandad back in the team. How come the rebels decided to tour the next day even though the team remained unchanged?
WASIM AKRAM: I think you’re mistaken. Miandad wasn’t the issue. The main issue was Wasim Akram. Initially, they did try to give the impression that they were fighting for Miandad. But I know from the beginning that they were after me.

Who do you mean by ‘they’?
Mainly Waquar Younis. He was the one who wanted to get rid of me. He aspired to be the Pakistan captain.



The outside world would find this some what difficult to digest. Wasim and Waqar, we were given to understand, shared a deep friendship both on and off the field. What actually led to the split?
I wouldn’t know really. As fur as I am concerned, my conscience is absolutely clear. I always give him encouragement, whenever I went with him, be it Australia, West Indies, South Africa. I kept on promoting him. Kept on telling the press that here was the best fast bowler in the world…..

So all the recent happenings must have come as a bolt from the blue?
Not really. I always knew that Waqar was ambitious and that he harbored hopes of becoming the captain. It was known that he was not wholeheartedly behind me. The only thing I didn’t realize was that they had formed a clique.

Did you get the filling that Waqar and Co. stabbed you in the back?
Absolutely. I’ve been stabbed in the back;


Who informed you a day later that the Pakistan Board had decided to relieve you of the captaincy?
Javed Burki, the chief selector. I met him at the Gaddafi Stadium and I couldn’t believe my ears when he told me that they were removing me from the captaincy. I told him quite frankly what I felt about the decision. I told him that today you’re doing it to me. Tomorrow it could be someone else. Once you succumb to this kind of blackmailing you’ll only encourage the trend. You’ll set a very bad precedent.

What was his reply?
Well, he just nodded and said, “Sorry, we’re taking a chance. Please don’t mind.


You’re blaming people for stabbing you in the back. But Javed Miandad has leveled the same charges against you?
Miandad is like that. You can expect him to say anytime. What he said didn’t surprise me. He is a great player and has served Pakistan cricket tremendously. But what is beyond his understanding is that all good things in life end somewhere, sometime. He should accept the fact that he is finished as a player. Look at this performance since the last season: show me where he was performed? He hardly attended the national camp, batted just once and didn’t look fit. As it is I’ve been carrying him in the team for the last one year. How long can anyone expect such favors?

In other words, you’re accepting the responsibility plying a crucial role in the exclusion of Miandad?
Why single me out? The members of the ad hoc committee were there too.
If what you said is true, then how come Miandad was blaming Imran Khan for his exclusion?
Imran had absolutely no role to play. He is too busy with his cancer hospital project. It might surprise you, that though both of us are from Lahore, the last time we spoke to each others was last October and that too his Sharma’s. But than Mindad will always be Mindad. He will going on saying things.



You are obviously a bitter man today. How will you adjust and play with the same bunch of people who ‘plotted’ to remove you from the captaincy? Imran has suggested that you withdraw from the tour of New Zealand.
Hopefully I won’t have any problems. As a player I would still be the same. As an individual yes I’m very upset by the turn of events. But that won’t stop me from giving my hundred per cent. Even today (after hearing the sad news.) I went for my routine practice.
I love Pakistan cricket too much to stay away from the scene and because I care for the country’s cricket, I am equally concerned as to what kind of an image this incident will portray to the outside world. People will laugh ridicule us. All can tell you is that such things are unheard of in Indian cricket even though occasional ego clashes and strong difference of opinion have plagued the team in the past….
I marvel at the present Indian team. Look at how they’ve rallied behind their skipper. It looks such a formidable side today with the Tendulkars, Kumbles and Kamblis backing up Azharuddin. Then there is Kapil Dev. I was watching India play in the Hero Cup final on television. They looked such a spirited side with positive vibrations. You know after the last world cup people used to say the Indian team should learn what team spirit was all about from us. In less than two year’s time the picture turned upside down.