Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Waqar Younis

Waqar Younis. Photo by Harrias-Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Remarquable Facts about Waqar Younis

Waqar Younis, a fast bowler from Pakistan with nearly 800 international wickets to his credit, was born on November 16, 1971. Waqar, who was an express fast bowler in his childhood, took the reverse swing tradition forward and developed into one of the best practitioners of the technique.

He established one of the most deadly fast-bowling combinations with Wasim Akram, another legendary Pakistani fast bowler. 

Reverse swinging deliveries, which go laterally the other direction and are still a rare art performed and perfected by a select few, are widely acknowledged to him as its inventor.

Together with Wasim Akram, Waqar became one of the most effective and deadly bowling combinations in the history of cricket.

Here are 10 top remarkable facts about Waqar Younis that you should know;

1.Waqar Younis was Imran’s protege and surprise addition

Imran Khan, a former captain of Pakistan, initially noticed Waqar and chose him for the national team. He had just participated in six First-Class matches when, out of nowhere, he was selected for the Pakistan camp.

In a previous interview, he stated, “I recall Imran wasn’t feeling well at the time, so he wasn’t in the camp. Fortunately, there was a match between United Bank and Delhi XI as part of the Super Wills Cup.

Due to Saleem Jaffar’s injury, I was given the chance to play in that match. Imran watched me on television and really crouched down to observe the game’s conclusion. He met me the following day and informed me that I will be going to Sharjah the next month.

2.Waqar makes his debut with the Master

Waqar and the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar both make their Test debuts. During the November 1989 Test at Karachi, which fell on Waqar’s 18th birthday, both players made their debuts. In his maiden Test innings, he claimed four wickets, including Tendulkar’s. Because of how terribly crippled and in pain his back was, he was unable to bowl in the second inning.

3.Early achievements of Waqar in county cricket

When Waqar played for Surrey in 1991, he first gained attention. In 1991, he set a record for his County team by taking 113 wickets at a pitiful average of 14.65 each. He later helped Glamorgan win the English County Championship in 1997.

4.Waqar contributed to the fastest ODI century ever

A certain Shahid Afridi was transported to Nairobi in 1996 to play for Pakistan. The 16-year-old was unable to play with a decent bat. The small boy then received Sachin Tendulkar’s bat from Waqar.

In that match against Sri Lanka, Afridi scored a century off just 37 balls, at the time the fastest ODI century ever. Later, in 2014, Corey Anderson of New Zealand (36 balls) and AB de Villiers of South Africa (31 balls) broke the record.

5.Waqar Achievements and Records

WAQAR YOUNIS. Photo by NAPARAZZI-Wikimedia Commons

Waqar was recognized for his athletic prowess in 1992 as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Additionally, he is the only pitcher to get 5 wickets in an innings in 3 straight One Day International games.

He has taken the fastest 50, 300, 350, and 400 wickets in ODIs in terms of deliveries bowled. Additionally, he has the highest strike rate of any bowler with more than 350 Test wickets.

6.Usain bolt is a huge fan of Waqar

Usain Bolt, who is from Jamaica (in the West Indies) and is the fastest sprinter and runner in the world, once responded when asked who his childhood idols were: “When I was really tiny, I adored the Pakistan cricket team. Being a bowler myself,” Waqar Younis was one of the all-time great bowlers, and I loved watching him play.

When I became older, I realized that I should really support my home team instead of Pakistan. Bolt responded, “I would still have supported Pakistan, that’s what I’m saying, because when I was little, it was all about Pakistan, when there had been a match between Pakistan and the Windies.”

7.Waqar’s disputations and conflicts

Waqar Younis of Pakistan Cricket team. Photo by NAPARAZZI-Wikimedia Commons

During the heyday of Pakistani cricket, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis fought their own fights. He briefly left the Pakistani team in the early part of 2000, supposedly as a result of a ban and disagreements with captain Akram. Later, he was named team captain, but he was also expelled from that position due to his accusations of tampering with the ball.

8.Honors and distinctions given to Waqar

For his accomplishments, Waqar was chosen one of the 1992 Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Additionally, he is the only bowler to record five wickets in an ODI innings in three straight games.

He has taken the fastest 50, 300, 350, and 400 wickets in ODIs in terms of deliveries bowled. 

Waqar was admitted to the esteemed ICC Hall of Fame in December 2013. He joined his countrymen Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, and Wasim Akram as the 70th male to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

9.Younis’ involvement in the suspension and ball-tampering

Waqar Yonus. Photo by Toorumer Wikimedia Commons

The media were wary of reverse swing because it was a relatively new concept in cricket in the early 1990s. Critics alleged dirty play following Pakistan’s victory over England in the 1992 Test series.

Many believed that players like Waqar and Akram altered and tampered with the ball. Waqar had to cope with numerous issues throughout his career as a result of accusations of ball manipulation.

He was even suspended and fined 50% of his match money for it in July 2000. However, since that time, the cricket administrators have not discovered any indication of wrongdoing, and the reverse swing technique has become popular among players. 

10.Waqar’s in-game regrets

Waqar claimed he had two regrets from his spectacular 15-year career as he announced his retirement from the sport. The first was missing Pakistan’s World Cup victory in 1992 because he was at his best at the time. His failure to play extensively enough against India is his second regret.