Defeat against England huge eye opener: Waqar

SHARJAH: Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis described defeat in the Twenty20 series against England as a ‘huge eye opener’ for his team whose ‘poor and ordinary’ performance needed proper analysis.

Pakistan were blanked 3-0 by England who won the third and final game in Sharjah in a thrilling Super Over finish on Monday — leaving Waqar to ponder his side’s progress just four months before the World Twenty20 in India.

“I think it’s a big eye opener,” said Waqar. “We have seen a lot of things which were not obvious before and there was an obvious difference between the two teams.

“Our performance has been very ordinary and very poor and needs serious analysis.”

Pakistan were cruising along nicely in their chase of a 155-run target but faltered in the last over, leaving scores level at 154.

Chris Jordan conceded only three runs in the Super Over which England overhauled off four deliveries.

Waqar praised England.

“England were younger than us and fitter and I think that made the difference. Credit to them for bouncing back after losing the Test series,” said Waqar whose team won the preceding three-Test series 2-0 but lost the four-match one-day 3-1.

“Twenty20 is fast cricket and that’s why we couldn’t match them,” said Waqar of England who have now won six consecutive Twenty20 matches and displaced Pakistan to sixth from second in T20 rankings.

Waqar admitted some of his talented players including the indiscipline Umar Akmal were not learning.

“I don’t know, I don’t have the answer why they are not performing,” said Waqar of Umar who was initially dropped from the team for a discipline violation.

“They are not young like 18 or 19 and as far as the opportunities are concerned everyone, selectors and cricket board, know they get the most opportunities so I think selectors will have to think.

“Don’t know about saying goodbye to them, it’s not my job to say goodbye but selectors would have been watching so they must have assessed the performance and fitness and they would be considering that.”

Umar and Sohaib Maqsood managed just 26 each while Ahmed Shehzad scored 32 in three matches.

Waqar said his players were committing schoolboy errors.

“To be very honest run outs are a huge problem,” said Waqar whose players have been run out 34 times in international matches this year, 21 in one-day matches.

“The manner in which they got run out is a schoolboy error, it’s not that you are playing new players, these players are seasoned and that’s not on, to be honest.

“Individuals have to think, are they worried about getting out? it’s a worrying sign and if individuals come under pressure like this then it’s not good for them as well as for the team.

Waqar pointed out fitness as the key problem.

“It’s an important part to have fitness camps back home and the national cricket academy has got to start rolling and these guys should be launched there to get fit.”

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also agreed his team needs huge improvement.

“Credit to England, they played well and we played well as well as bad and there are lots of areas we have to improve and improve very fast,” said Afridi.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

J.J. Roy lbw b Aamir 0

J.M. Vince c Umar b Sohail 46

J.E. Root b Afridi 32

Moeen Ali c and b Afridi 0

E.J.G. Morgan b Malik 15

J.C. Buttler run out 2

S.W. Billings c Umar b Anwar 7

C.R. Woakes c Umar b Sohail 37

D.J. Willey not out 3

C.J. Jordan not out 0