Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis has defended the decision to recall fast bowler Mohammad Amir for the ongoing England tour and categorically stated that the experienced left-arm paceman is a vital part in the team’s future plans. The 28-year-old Amir — who had initially announced his unavailability due to the birth of his second daughter — was on Monday inducted into the already expanded national squad by chief selector-cum-head coach Misbahul Haq, predictably for the three Twenty20 Inter­nationals that follow the three-match Test series against England.

Reminiscing the recent past when Amir declared his availability only for white-ball internationals on the eve of the Test series in Australia last year, Waqar told a Pakistan Cricket Board online media conference that he preferred moving on rather than brood on the episode that upset him for a while then. “What’s the point worrying about that now?” Waqar, who formed a much feared new-ball partnership with Wasim Akram during the 1990s, asked from Pakistan’s base at the County Ground in Derby. “Amir made a decision to quit Test cricket at a time when Pakistan needed him because of his experience. I think Amir is in our plans for the future because he’s a match-winner and there’s the T20 World Cup next year. To have him back is a sign of positivity because the youngsters will learn from Amir. “I see this tour as the ideal chance to assess all our bowling resources. We have abundance of fast bowlers in the current squad and it’s a good thing to carry into the England Tests. Moreover, this isn’t a matter of one series but the future commitments too, as there are back-to-back World Cups coming up from 2021 onwards. But let me make it clear that no bowler, or for that matter any cricketer, is indispensable for the team. My perspective about players choosing one [or two] format over others is different because if a bowler is fit, strong and loves taking wickets, he can play all formats,” he stressed.

Waqar termed preparations more than satisfactory and said the squad’s early arrival had given ample time to the backroom staff to work without hassles. “As we all know the Covid-19 situation complicated everything that matters in life. No cricket over the past four months has resulted in rustiness as far as players are concerned. But having said that, I think we have time on our side to get preparations for the Test matches in the best possible scenario,” Waqar, who bagged 789 international wickets, including 373 in Tests, remarked. “The backroom team is making sure our training and physical fitness sessions are well utilised. On top of that the boys are playing intra-squad games in order to gain maximum benefit in match-like situations. Head coach Misbah, Younis Khan (batting coach) and Mushy (spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed) are all as excited as I am to be involved with the Pakistan team. The coming weeks will be challenging since England are no pushovers and in home conditions they are tough opponents. However, our record in England over the past several Test series has been excellent (2-2 in 2016 under Misbah and 1-1 in 2018 when Sarfaraz Ahmed led Pakistan) and that is a heartening sign,” Waqar pointed out. “I am sure we are not going to let our supporters down. We will try to make them proud of the Pakistan team with our performances.”