KARACHI: Batting icon and former Pakistan skipper Hanif Mohammad has called for immediate removal of head coach Waqar Younis to save the national team from further disasters.

“I think after such poor results in [limited-overs games] during the last few months, Waqar doesn’t deserve to remain the head coach,” Hanif said in an interview here on Monday.

On Sunday, Pakistan suffered a 2-0 series loss to New Zealand in ODIs after the 2-1 defeat in the T20 rubber.

While the Test team under Misbah-ul-Haq have been doing well, Pakistan’s ODI and T20 outfits have been nowhere near their Test counterparts lately.

Pakistan late last year suffered a 3-1 ODI series drubbing to England under Azhar Ali in the UAE where Afridi-led T20 team were blanked 0-3. On the same tour, Misbah’s brigade recorded an emphatic 2-0 win in the three-match Test series.

“In my opinion, Waqar has destroyed the environment of the team with his ego,” stated Hanif.

Making it clear that he had no personal vendetta against Waqar, Hanif believed the great fast bowler of his era was not coming out of his playing days.

Hanif was not too hopeful about Pakistan for the upcoming T20 Asia Cup and the ICC World T20. “The way things are going in the team, it has created a bleak scenario.”

He said it was high time for the Pakistan Cricket Board, to take an immediate action of bringing Mohsin Khan as head coach.

“Without creating a congenial environment in the dressing room, no team can perform and excel,” highlighted Hanif.

Commenting on current state of the national team, Hanif said: “Pakistan team is not that bad. Actually, the players have lost confidence due to bad atmosphere in the dressing room plus [it seems] there is unnecessary pressure on some players to perform.

“I am deeply hurt to see Pakistan losing matches. Motivating the players is a vital ingredient of victory which is lacking in the [present] Pakistan team,” Hanif lamented.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2016