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A Tribute to Waqar Younis by B.V.Swagath
Waqar Younis, the man with the lethal toe
crunchers, who had dismantled many stumps in his
illustrious career, would certainly have his
name written in golden letters in cricket
history. Waqar’s career is no less than
staggering with as many as 789 International
wickets and 956 first class wickets. 15th of
November 1989, the National Stadium at Karachi
became the venue for the debut of two teenage
sensations. One was Sachin Tendulkar for India
and the other was a raw fast bowler from a small
town Burewala of Punjab state – the eighteen
year old Waqar Younis. Sanjay Manjrekar nicked
the ball behind to the wicket keeper Saleem
Yousuf and that was the 1st of many wickets to
come for Waqar Younis in Test Match Cricket. A
great beginning indeed for a great career with
Waqar dismissing four Indian batsmen in a
devastating spell of fast bowling.
A long and aggressive run-up and the ball
released with a quick slinging and round arm
action was the secret of the brutal pace
generated by Waqar Younis. His action also had
several side effects with the regular dangers of
stress fractures to his back. Waqar was soon
considered as the fastest bowler in the world.
Many batsmen in the world preferred their stumps
to be cleaned up rather than getting their toes
crunched! So lethal was this man, and in the
early 90s formed the most deadly fast bowling
pair ever seen in cricket. Wasim Akram was the
other half of the two Ws which destroyed many
batting line ups.
All Waqar needed was to bowl 4-5 perfect yorkers
and the match would turn head over its heels in
favour of Pakistan . There was no stopping to
this man who earned the nickname- The BUREWALA
BOMBER. Pitch conditions whether fast or slow,
lively or docile, bouncy or low bounce, never
mattered to this express pace bowler. His
strength was the late movement he got coupled
with his lethal pace. Most of his wickets had
come through lbw's or bowled, indicating the way
he attacked the stumps and to what extent his
bowling depended on the pitch conditions. His
stint in the English County circuit with top
class teams like Surrey and Glamorgan helped him
realize that pace without accuracy and direction
is meaningless. The English Circuit provided him
the ideal base from where he built up his
furious and deadly reverse swinging yorkers.
He was the
master of Reverse Swing with those big
inswinging yorkers which would start swinging
from outside the off stump to the base of the
leg stump! There are very few cricketers whose
careers were devoid of any controversies and
Waqar’s was no exception to that. Controversies
like ball tampering to match fixing to drug
allegations to conflicts with his
friend-turned-foe Wasim Akram were always a part
of his career. But they are only different
facets of a cricketer and Waqar would be
remembered mostly for his devastating Yorkers
more than anything else.
Waqar Younis and World Cups do not gel well and
how true it was. He couldn’t make the 1992 World
Cup after a stress fracture in his back. In the
1996 World Cup, Waqar’s career took a U Turn
after Ajay Jadeja took him to the cleaners in
the Quarterfinal match at Bangalore . He was no
longer the most feared fast bowler and with time
passing by, the great bowler lost his rhythm and
with that his pace. The 1999 World Cup in
England , Waqar for some strange reasons got
only one game to play and that was against
Bangladesh . Waqar was a good fighter and what
if he didn’t have that brutal pace? He still
managed to take wickets by modifying his action
slightly. He concentrated on getting his arm
straight and releasing the ball with an upright
seam. Success followed and Waqar Younis was at
the helm of the things again, as he was named as
the skipper for the 2003 World Cup. But history
repeats itself and yet another disastrous World
Cup for this spirited cricketer, as Pakistan
couldn’t make it to the Super Sixes. He made an
attempt of reviving his career for Pakistan by
again playing county cricket for Warwickshire in
2003 as an overseas pro, but failed to live upto
the expectations of the Pakistani selectors, as
he lost favour and never played for Pakistan
after the World Cup debacle.
Not a great
ending to what was a great career, but Waqar
Younis and his bowling in the early 90s would be
remembered for years to come. He still has the
best strike rate in test cricket.
Cricketfundas.com appreciates the entertainment
Waqar Younis has provided to cricket fans and
wish him all success in whatever profession he
takes up.
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