PCB hits back at ‘unprofessional’ Waqar

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday decided to hit back at Waqar Younis following his resignation as the national team’s bowling coach saying that the former Test cricketer lacked professionalism.
“Waqar has behaved in an unprofessional manner and has resigned as Pakistan’s bowling coach in a burst of anger. The PCB has accepted his resignation,” said PCB’s Director Communications Dr Ahsan Malik.
Waqar, 35, announced on Saturday that he has decided to quit as Pakistan’s bowling coach because of alleged mistreatment by the PCB.
His decision to resign came just hours before his scheduled flight for South Africa where the Pakistan team is currently preparing for a three-match Test series starting at Centurion from January 11.
Waqar claimed that the PCB showed him disrespect by not including him in the team management for the one-day series against South Africa to be held next month.
“I was told that my services were needed by the Pakistan team for just the Test matches and they didn’t require me for the one-dayers. I don’t think I deserved such shabby treatment and decided against continuing as the team’s bowling coach,” said Waqar.
However, Ahsan refuted Waqar’s allegations that the PCB mistreated him saying that the former Pakistan captain lacked professionalism and discipline.
The PCB official told ‘The News’ in a telephonic interview that Waqar went on an unauthorised leave just before Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and later threw unnecessary tantrums.
“Waqar went on an unauthorised leave which was against the terms of the contract he had signed with the PCB. That shows his unprofessional approach towards an important job,” he said.
Waqar had gone to perform Hajj late last month with star Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf and a few other cricketers. He just returned home on Saturday.
Ahsan said that the decision to exclude Waqar from the one-day series against South Africa was taken by the PCB with the consent of the national team management.
“According to the contract signed by Waqar, the PCB has the right to include him in the team management whenever his services are required,” he said.
Ahsan said that on the basis of his previous performance as a bowling coach, the PCB assessed that Waqar’s contribution in one-dayers was far from substantial. “The PCB prepares performance reports of all of their coaching staff and according to one of those assessments, Waqar had contributed very little as far as one-dayers were concerned,” he revealed.
He added that in spite of it, the PCB was prepared to honour Waqar’s contract which was till the end of April.
Waqar, who played 87 Tests and 262 one-dayers for Pakistan was appointed Pakistan’s bowling coach in 2006 for a one-year period till this spring’s World Cup in the West Indies.
It is expected that Waqar, who took 373 Test wickets and 416 scalps in one-dayers might sign a contract to coach leading Australian regional team New South Wales (NSW).