Home Lightbox Coach Waqar Younis ‘Excited’ by Pakistan’s Test Success

Coach Waqar Younis ‘Excited’ by Pakistan’s Test Success

by AFP
Arif Ali—AFP

Arif Ali—AFP

Former player praises England’s performance, adding Pakistan better exploited conditions in the U.A.E.

Pakistan’s head coach Waqar Younis admitted on Friday he was excited by his team’s 2-0 Test series win over England, saying his players are settled in the longer format.

Pakistan thumped England by 127 runs in the third and final Test in Sharjah, which lifted them to number two in the Test rankings, a slot which they also held previously, although only briefly in August 2006.

“Beating a top team is hugely satisfying and no matter what the conditions were, a win against the Ashes winning team, which is on the rise, is hugely exciting,” Younis, who is in his second stint as coach, told AFP. “I am really proud about the performances of the boys. The way Misbah-ul-Haq performed, [Mohammad] Hafeez, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed in batting was great. Then the way Yasir Shah led the bowling attack in the two matches [after missing the first Test] was admirable,” said Younis of the leg-spinner who took 15 wickets in two matches. He also offered praise to the beaten tourists, though.

“England gave us good fight,” said Younis of Alastair Cook’s team. “We were expecting a tough fight because they are a better skilled team. We knew the conditions and exploited them better than England and that was the difference. I was talking to Andrew Strauss [England and Wales Cricket Board director] about that and told him that this time England fought very hard, unlike their teams before.”

One major decision Younis is likely to have to make before the next Test series is how to replace captain Haq. He had hinted that the England series could be his last but deferred the decision on Thursday, saying he will think about it and decide later.

“I think filling Misbah at number five will definitely be tough for an individual and that is why I have stressed on youngsters since 2010. But that’s the way it goes, you have to move on. We have Azhar Ali settled, Shafiq doing well and Babar Azam and Haris Sohail in the back up but definitely it will be tough when Misbah and then Younis [Khan] leave.”

Younis said he was not thinking too far ahead over his Test team’s challenges of playing in England (July 2016) and the tour of Australia (late next year). “There is no doubt that beating big teams on their ground is a bigger achievement but before England and Australia, if India come then that will be a bigger challenge in these conditions which they also know,” said Younis of the possibility of two Tests against rivals India in the United Arab Emirates.

The tour hangs in the balance as the Indian board has sought permission from New Delhi to revive ties with Pakistan, stalled since 2007 due to strained relations. A decision on the tour, which also has five one-day and two Twenty20 matches, is expected next week.

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