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SHARJAH, Oct 22: Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said Tuesday that seasoned players like Wasim Akram and Saeed Anwar may return to the side after missing the Australian series.
“I felt let down by their absence,” Waqar said after his young team crashed to an innings defeat in the final Test.
“Wasim and Saeed said they were tired and needed rest, but with the World Cup so near, some of the older players may have to come back and we have to give them some cricket before that.”
Wasim and opener Saeed opted out of the series against Australia.
Worse, leading batsmen Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana missed the series due to injuries and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq broke his wrist during the second Test.
Pakistan will undertake twin tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa from next month ahead of the World Cup to be played in these two countries in February-March next year.
Waqar said he and coach Richard Pybus were returning home late Tuesday to meet PCB chairman Tauqir Zia and the selectors to discuss the defeat against Australia.
Asked if he agreed with a reported statement of the PCB chairman that Pakistan may soon have separate teams and captains for Tests and one-day cricket, Waqar said: “If it is good for the team I am happy.”
He stressed that no tears should be shed for his boys who were blanked out by Australia.
“It was a tough series against the best team in the world,” Waqar said.
“But I would not cry too much on it. We have to take the positives out of the series and build for the future.
“There have emerged some young players who are the future of Pakistan cricket and the experience of playing against Australia will have done them a world of good.
“I have faith in these youngsters and it was evident they need more cricket to match themselves against the best.
“Pakistan are capable of playing against any team, but playing against Australia was very tough.”
Australia captain Steve Waugh praised his players for the team ethics they had displayed in the series.
“I don’t want to use stuff like crushing and clinical performance, all I would say that we played to our potential and won the series,” said Waugh.
“We did think it would be a lot harder for us in the second and third Tests but we did well to create the pressure on the Pakistan players forcing them to make mistakes.
“We enforced the follow-on just because we wanted to win the series the hard way. And, in the end, we won with ease, which was a bit of surprise for us.
Waugh praised the performances of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, who joined the 400-plus club during the final Test.
“But we as a team always look beyond individuals,” he said. “Statistics don’t always reflect the true picture.
“For instance, Brett Lee bowled pretty well in the third Test, but failed to get a wicket.
“It felt nice to get some runs, but then, when you’re coming in the middle order and on these slow wickets, it’s not always easy to score runs. You need a bit luck too and I had that,” said Waugh.
Looking forward to the Ashes series against England, Waugh commented: “England are playing good at the moment, but when it comes to the Ashes we always play with extra spirit.”—AFP/Reuters
