Waqar credits attacking mindset after thrashing SL

KARACHI: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis on Sunday hailed his players’ positive and attacking approach after they comprehensively defeated Sri Lanka in all three formats on the islanders’ home turf.
Pakistan clinched the second Twenty20 against Sri Lanka in a sensational last-over finish by one wicket to take the series 2-0 on Saturday, capping a successful tour where they also won the Test series 2-1 and one-dayers 3-2.
Waqar said the victory had made him proud of his players, and the team was on the up.
“I would not say that we have become world beaters after winning the whole tour but I would say that we are heading in the right direction,” he told AFP via phone from Colombo.
“I think the best thing on this tour was that the mindset of the players changed,” he said.
The former fast bowler attributed the team’s recent success in Tests, where they are now ranked third in the world, to finding the right blend of youth and experience.
“I think for the last one year we have been well settled in Tests as seniors support the juniors and everyone knows how to perform their roles,” he said, singling out batsmen Younis Khan and Shan Masood and leg-spinner Yasir Shah for extra praise.
On the one-day series victory, Waqar said the introduction of fresh blood had helped Pakistan improve their fielding and shed the go-slow approach that had hindered them in recent times.
“Azhar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan and Anwar Ali were outstanding,” he said.
“The change in world cricket was adopted by us, which was to smash the ball if it is there for a hit,” he added, referring to surging run-rates that have become a feature of one-day cricket following the arrival of the Twenty20 format.
Pakistan’s victory in the one-day series moved them from ninth in the rankings to eighth, ensuring their qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England.
Pakistan will next tour Zimbabwe, where they play three T20Is and as many ODIs in September and October.
Meanwhile, chief selector Haroon Rasheed said that a few more youngsters would be tested out in the coming months prior to the World T20 early next year.
The former Test batsman rejected suggestions that captain Shahid Afridi or head coach Waqar Younis had any personal issue with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed who was rested for both T20 matches causing an uproar in the cricket circles.
“I think we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Sarfaraz is our proven performer now and he had been playing non-stop cricket in Sri Lanka. Maybe the team management felt he needed rest so they could give others more chances,” Rasheed said in an interview.
“But anyway the selection committee will sit down with the team management and captains and have a discussion with them on the tour and find out why Sarfaraz was not played in the T20 matches,” he said.
The chief selector said that it was the job of selectors to ensure no injustice was done with any player. “But we shouldn’t be judgmental so soon. The team management wants to try out new combinations and give exposure to some of the younger players,” he said.
He pointed out that all-rounder Anwar Ali, batsman Muhammad Rizwan and left arm all-rounder Emmad Wasim were all given a proper run in the limited overs series in Sri Lanka which was a positive sign.
“We all felt that the new players needed a proper run so that we know where they stand,” he added.
Anwar and Wasim played lead roles in guiding Pakistan to a dramatic last-over win over Sri Lanka in the second T20 international on Saturday night.
Rasheed made it clear that a clear message had been given to the seniors. “The presence of such talent just shows that our domestic cricket is producing talent and we just have to give them opportunities to find out who can make a successful transition to international cricket,” the chief selector said.
Haroon also said Waqar Younis and his support staff would supervise a training camp for emerging players in Lahore in the time the national team has no international commitments. “The purpose is to work on the fitness of these players as nowadays only teams with high fitness levels and top fielding skills can be successful consistently,” he added.