‘Let me make it very clear’- Former Pakistan captain quashes speculations of taking up post of Pakistan bowling coach
The post of the bowling coach in the Pakistan cricket team has fallen vacant as Shaun Tait left the Pakistan side. The former Australia fast bowler parted ways with the Men in Green after their 2-1 ODI series loss against New Zealand at home. Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the ODI series, but New Zealand came back to win the series 2-1.
Legendary former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis has said that he has no plans of joining the Pakistan coaching fold as a bowling coach despite numerous reports suggesting that he could be next in line for the role. Younis wrote on Twitter, “Lots of speculation around me taking on the bowling coach role of Pakistan team. Let me be very clear, I have not approached, and I have no intentions of taking that job.”
Here is the tweet:
Lots of speculation around me taking on the bowling coach roll of Pakistan🇵🇰 team. Let me be very clear I have not approached and I have no intentions of taking taking that job #ThankYou
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) January 17, 2023
In 2019, Younis joined as Pakistan bowling coach. He came in for Azhar Mahmood who left the post after Pakistan had a lackluster World Cup campaign in 2019. Mahmood was dismissed after Pakistan could not get beyond the league phase of the tournament. He went on as coach till the 2021 20-20 World Cup where Pakistan lost in the semi-finals against Australia.
PCB Never approached me- Umar Gul
Younis stepped down from the post alongside Misbah-ul- Haq. Misbah was the batting coach for the Men in Green at that time. Umar Gul was also looked at the front-runner after Tait to take over the role. Gul had recently stepped down as Afghanistan bowling coach.
The right-arm pacer had a fabled career when he was playing for Pakistan. He said that he did not have any conversations with the Pakistan Cricket Board about the job. He had picked up 416 wickets in ODIs. In 262 matches he had picked up 13 five wicket hauls in the 50 over format.
Gul said he was not approached by the PCB in this regard. “It is an honor to work for the national team. After I retired from international cricket, I always wanted to work for my team as a coach, but PCB never approached me.” Quoted as per Hindustan Times. Umar Gul has picked up 179 wickets in ODIs for Pakistan.
