"Long-term illness...": Waqar Younis breaks silence on Pakistan Cricket’s issues

Legendary Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis has been named as the mentor for the Lions in the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup, which is set to be held from September 12 to 29 in Faisalabad.

Younis will guide the Lions, who will be training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) throughout the 2024-25 domestic season. The former Pakistan coach’s appointment came after Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq were also named as mentors for the Stallions and Wolves, respectively, in the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup.

Waqar Younis appointed mentor for Lions in Champions One-Day Cup

This 50-over tournament will bring together the top 150 cricketers in the country. The Champions One-Day Cup will be played in a single-league format, and matches, with the exception of the September 16 clash between the Lions and Panthers, will start at 3 pm.

The tournament will feature three playoff rounds in the final four days, ending with the final on September 29. The Lions' campaign in the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup kicks off on September 13 against Shoaib Malik’s Stallions.

They will also face the Panthers in a day match, Misbah-ul-Haq’s Wolves on September 20, and the Dolphins on September 22. Well, the former Pakistan captain has expressed his excitement about his new role and eagerness to contribute to player development once again.

Waqar Younis excited for the new role in Pakistan cricket

Waqar Younis said that being a mentor is an exciting challenge for him, and he is looking forward to working with a group of highly talented cricketers. Younis also noted the intriguing rivalry that will arise among the mentors, each aiming to outperform the others, which will boost the competition's excitement and intensity.

Waqar Yonis said at the press conference, “I am excited about the opportunity to once again contribute to player development. This new role presents a fresh challenge that I embrace with great enthusiasm. Beyond the chance to work with some of the most talented cricketers, there will be a fascinating dynamic among the mentors as each of us will strive to outmaneuver the others. This friendly rivalry will certainly add an extra layer of excitement and intensity to the competition.”

Waqar Younis outlines strategy to tackle Pakistan's persistent problems

Meanwhile, Waqar Younis said that the Pakistan cricket team faces several issues, and he emphasized the need to address these concerns comprehensively and it will take time and patience. He highlighted the team's challenges in areas such as fitness, captaincy, fielding, batting, and bowling.

Waqar Younis also insisted that overcoming long-standing problems takes time and effort, but assured that they are committed to doing their best to support and improve the Pakistan team.

He signed off by saying, “There are issues in the Pakistan team; we can see those issues, and I don't want to repeat. We will address issues in fitness, captaincy, fielding, batting, and bowling. Long-term illness cannot be cured overnight; we are here to try our best and help Pakistan.”

On Tuesday, September 3, Pakistan suffered an embarrassing whitewash at home in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, highlighting deep-rooted issues within the system, as changing the coaching set-up has not even changed their fortune across the formats.