Waqar Younis ask players to keep working on mental, physical fitness

LAHORE: Bowling Coach Waqar Younis has asked the players to keep working on their mental and physical fitness during the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, in a statement said: while conducting an online session with Pakistan national players team Younis said during the epidemic players need to keep themselves in perfect shape to be absolutely fit when the sport returns back to action.

Speedster Shoaib Akhtar said fast bowler Naseem Shah has the potential to become the next Waqar Younis, and emerging bowlers, the statement added.

“Akhtar stressed on the importance of aggression and attitude for a fast bowler and told the players that they must compete hard with a batsman and see him in the eye to make an impression.” He said “The world tends to remember fast bowlers by their spell that cast a spell on opponents and fans.

“Naseem Shah has the potential of becoming the next Waqar Younis, Shaheen Shah Afridi can become the next Wasim Akram and Mohammad Abbas had the potential of becoming the next Mohammad Asif, he added”

However, to achieve these goals, these bowlers need to assert their presence in no uncertain terms on their opponents and have clarity of mind and thought, he said.

Furthermore, Shoaib Akhtar said that there was no “substitute” to pace, the current crop of national and emerging players had the “talent and pedigree” but they need to win games on their own to gain popularity and earn recognition around the world.

Akhtar reminded the players about the importance of bravery. He said that “bravery is what sets people apart and lets them fight back and re-emerge in the face of adversity and challenges. “

Akhtar asked players to build relationships with players who are better than them. Sharing his own experience in this regard, he said: “Imran Khan was the inspiration that brought me to the game while I modelled my bowling action on Waqar.”