'We have to play out of our skins': Waqar

AFP Published November 15, 2015

SHARJAH: Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis warned his team needed to play out of their skins to take a lead over England when the two teams meet in the third one-day international in Sharjah on Tuesday.

Pakistan went down by 95 runs in the second game in Abu Dhabi to give England a chance to level the four-match series at 1-1.

Pakistan won the first match by six wickets, also in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Waqar said he was not expecting England to play the way they did in the second game on Friday.

“We need to play well to make it 2-1,” said Waqar on Sunday.

“England bounced back and bounced back well, we probably were not thinking that they are going to play that well so we have to play out of our skins to make it 2-1.”

Waqar said Pakistan were poor on Friday, sliding to 188 all out in chase of a 284-run target.

“Obviously we were expecting a fightback from England but we also played poor cricket in that game.

We were not up to the mark in batting and at no time we were in the game and we must make sure it doesn't happen next time.”

England opener Alex Hales notched a maiden century to lift England to an impressive 283-5 in their 50 overs, batting which Waqar believed set up the win.

“The way Hales made that hundred was great and when someone scores a hundred at the top of the order your chance of putting a 300 total gets more,” said Waqar of the England opener.

“We know our strengths so we will fightback.”

Waqar admitted he was surprised over the manner in which senior batsman Younis Khan retired from one-day after the first match following debate over his selection for the series.

“Reality demanded that he should have completed the series,” said Waqar of Younis who ended his career on 265 one-day games.

“But that is the way he thinks and he is, I am very proud of the way he played the game,” he added.

“He will continue to play Test cricket and I am hopeful that he will complete 10,000 Test runs but it was unfortunate way (to retire) and the decision was sudden and that was a big shock for us.”

The fourth and final one-day match will be played in Dubai on Friday.

Both teams will also play Twenty20 internationals in Dubai (November 26 and 27) and Sharjah (November 30).

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Khan

Nov 15, 2015 09:42pm

Coach we need players in the team on merit !!!!

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Nov 16, 2015 12:58am

Do not let Azher to open the innings He is not an opening batsman. Bring back ahmed shahzad. It is time for azher to score in the middle order

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Hamid

Nov 16, 2015 03:00am

Pakistan does not have match winning batsmen. All batsmen are mediocre who perform once in a while. Bowlers are good but they cannot win matches for you. Also how can you expect to have good batsmen when your coach was a bowler. He cannot coach about batting.

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Shafqat shah

Nov 16, 2015 03:29pm

Pak team r not playing their game due to lot political pressure from coach, and your planning is wrong, they have seen fate of Razzak, S.akhtar,yusuf, Inz, Shahzad, & Akmal you r not treating friends, due to wrong planning you coaching lost w/cs 2011,2015 and Bagla series ? what your take, players r not servant they r friends.

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Chacha Cricket

Nov 16, 2015 04:26pm

@Shafqat shah : Yes, You make real sense my friend. Waqar Younis is the only one responsible and players have nothing to do with win and loss. He is batting in the field in place of Azhar Ali/Ahmed Shahzad/Hafeez/ Younis Khan and simultaneously Bowling in place of Wahab/ Anwar/ Irfan and yes forgotten the leggie Yasir Shah. Believe me dear the Coach is only the strategist and a guide, if the followers do not perform up to the mark then it is not necessary that strategy was also wrong. For merit please convey your message to selectors, Don't you think You make Waqar Younis a superman who can do anything in PCB. Even the toughest Captain Imran Khan has to fight with so many officials to induct someone in the team. Please be sensible and don't conspire with biases. One has to keep patience with the experiments being done to get the perfect combination. Plz do some analysis of team Pakistan under coaching of Bobwoolmer, Dave wattmore who are more acclaimed qualified coaches of the world.

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Chacha Cricket

Nov 16, 2015 04:40pm

@Shafqat shah : Razzaq no doubt was a great player but fitness was the major issue that put his performance near to zero and he just become the batting all rounder like Shahid Afridi now adays (big name for nothing- Chal gaya to Chand tak nahin to Shaam tak) rather once he was claimed to be the master of reverse swing. For Yousuf, again a master batsman with his technique but when he started Tableegh treating Cricket as secondary thing in his life then he should not complaint about his career that gradually declines with his preferences. Shoaib Akhtar was too brilliant with his God gifted pace but lacks the fitness level that required to maintain a long career in Cricket. What you see wrong with Inzi he completed his career on the right time. Shahzad/ Akmals are too inconsistent and lacks attitude got so many chances in the team even not restricted in the team today but they themselves are responsible. Please see the things in relevance to the merit not against the biases to any one.

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