Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sultans of Swing, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, will once again be together on the same side, representing newest Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans in the next edition of the T20 league to be played in the United Arab Emirates. In an official signing agreement, expected to take place during August in Karachi, Wasim will take the role of cricket operations director, while Waqar will be the mentor and head coach. This will be the first time the duo will work together since their retirements in 2003. Wasim decided to leave Islamabad United as a mentor after two seasons that included winning the inaugural Pakistan Super League in 2016 with them. Wasim spent two contrasting seasons with United, including winning the championship during the inaugural tournament in 2015. However, their second season suffered after three of their key players – Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan – were embroiled in a corruption scandal and were suspended. It is learnt that United captain Misbahul Haq, who recently retired from international cricket, was being considered to act as a mentor to fill in for Akram.

This will be Waqar’s first time in the PSL, having formerly been the head coach of the national side. Waqar was originally ignored for the first two seasons of the PSL. But with the addition of a sixth team for the third season, he was approached in June to join Multan – which is owned by The Schön Group, a Dubai-based enterprise, well-established in the real-estate business in Pakistan. After the coaching stint with Pakistan, Waqar appeared on various TV networks as a commentator. Wasim, in partnership with Waqar, intimidated international batsmen in the 90s. Together known as “the two Ws” of the Pakistan team, the duo were one of the most lethal and successful bowling partnerships in cricket. In the 61 Tests that the duo played together, they shared 559 wickets between them, Wasim picking 282 wickets while Waqar taking 277.

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2017.