Waqar Younis talks about success of Pakistan at 2022 T20 World Cup

• Pakistan has all the opportunities to win the 2022 T20 World Cup, says Waqar.
• Waqar praises Babar and Rizwan for their performances.
• Many Pakistani players have featured in BBL.

Waqar Younis, a legend of Pakistan, believes his former side has every opportunity to win this year’s ICC T20 World Cup.

The Asian nation is now ranked third on the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings and will head to Australia later this year with confidence due to their recent success in the shortest format of cricket.

Pakistan reached the semi-finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE and have only lost one 20-over match since their loss to Australia last year in November.

In addition, they have the top two batsmen in Twenty20 cricket – captain Babar Azam and experienced right-hander Mohammad Rizwan – and Waqar believes this bodes well for a successful showing at this year’s tournament.

Also Read

Shoaib Malik available to play in T20 World Cup in Australia

Malik is available for selection in the squad for T20 World Cup....

Recently in Melbourne, Waqar told ICC Digital, “We stand a really good chance of doing well at this World Cup,”

“The pitches in Australia are generally very good batting pitches and Pakistan do have good batters who can really play well in these conditions.

“Babar is definitely going to be the key batter at the top of the order.

“I think he (Babar) will have the impact that he has always had and then of course Rizwan is playing very well and the bowling attack they have got it one of the best in the world.”

Waqar says that Shaheen Afridi’s supporting cast is grossly underappreciated.

Previously, right-handed bowler Haris Rauf played well in Australia’s local Big Bash League, and spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz have also excelled in recent years.

“We have tried about six or seven fast bowlers in the last year or so and they are all going really well,” Waqar noted.

“I feel that Haris Rauf and Shaheen (Afridi) will be pivotal, but let’s not forget Hasan Ali either as he has been bowling very decent.

“Pakistan’s fast bowling attack is very good and they can mix it up with Shadab and Nawaz as they are good spinners also.”

Wasim Akram is the only bowler with more Test and ODI scalps than the 50-year-old Waqar in Pakistan’s illustrious cricketing history.

During his 14-year international career, the renowned bowler shared the field with a number of gifted batsmen, including Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, and Javed Miandad.

Waqar stated that any comparisons should be postponed till the current captain’s career concludes, despite the fact that many experts consider Babar to be on par with or even superior to a number of these Pakistani batting stars.

Advertisement

Look who is back to the top of the @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s T20I Rankings for batters 👀@babarazam258 👏 pic.twitter.com/eTelo79zxy

— ICC (@ICC) December 22, 2021

Also Read

Abdul Razzaq talks about fans’ support after 2009 T20 World Cup triumph

Pakitan won their inaugural T20 WC in 2009. Razzaq recalls how fans...

“Babar Azam in modern day cricket looks a million dollars and he is definitely as good as all the big names,” Waqar said.

“But all those greats have their own strengths and their own class and all of them played in different eras and we should not forget that.

“Babar is still very young and has plenty of cricket ahead of him and once he has retired you can perhaps sit down and start comparing him with others.”