The Hindu : Waqar apologises for World Cup defeat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Waqar apologises for World Cup defeat

LAHORE March 10. Pakistan cricket captain Waqar Younis apologised to the nation on Monday for the country's defeat in the World Cup, but said he has no intention of quitting. Vice-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, however, stepped down.

Days after Pakistan failed to qualify for the second round of the cricket World Cup in South Africa, Younis told a news conference, ``We worked hard, but could not deliver on the field. We have no excuses (for the losses), but we want to apologize to the people of Pakistan for not coming up to their expectations.''

Pakistan, one of the World Cup favourite, beat only the Netherlands and Namibia and lost to Australia, England and India in group games. Its game against Zimbabwe was washed out. Media had reported Younis was considering stepping down following the dismal performance. Younis declined to say how long he would continue to play for Pakistan.

``As long as I am fit, I am going to serve my country,'' he said. ``But I don't know for how long.''

Premier player Inzamam stepped down from the vice-captaincy after scoring only 19 runs in six innings at the World Cup.

``I was not under the pressure of the vice captaincy, but couldn't deliver at the right time,'' a visibly shaken Haq said. ``I had worked hard for the World Cup, but I admit that I made mistakes when it mattered.''

Younis rejected Pakistan coach Richard Pybus' recently reported assertion that the players were unwilling to learn. ``It's absolutely not true,'' Younis said. ``Each and every member of the team was more than willing to eradicate his mistake, and I don't think Pybus is right.''

Manager Shahryar Khan said the team needed ``cricketing discipline'' to compete at the international level, and that the Pakistan Cricket Board should address the problem.

He said the board should groom 10-to-16-year-old youngsters at cricket academies so that Pakistan in future could again compete against the top teams like Australia and South Africa.

``We were beaten fair and square in the World Cup purely because we lacked in running between the wickets, our bowlers gave away too many extra runs, (and) we didn't know how to improve our net run rates against weak teams,'' he said.

Khan, who previously managed the national team on the tour of India in 1998, added: ``Off the field, there was no intrigue or indiscipline in the team, but on the field we failed to deliver.''

He said cricket-mad Pakistan had pinned too much hope on the team before the World Cup without realizing that it comprised ``aging stars'' (Younis, Wasim Akram, Rashid Latif and Saeed Anwar).

``These were the stars of 80s and 90s. Since they couldn't perform up to their potential, our backup cricketers (Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana) also came under pressure,'' he said.

A four-person panel appointed by the board to review the team's poor performance is expected to submit its findings on March 23.

Miandad wants to meet Musharraf

Meanwhile, former cricketing great Javed Miandad is seeking an audience with President Pervez Musharraf to discuss plans to rebuild the team. ``One of these days I will speak to Gen. Musharraf if I get an opportunity,'' Miandad said in Islamabad.

And Miandad may be planning to put his head on the chopping block again and offer his services as a coach though he has not been ``sounded'' yet, according to sources.

Miandad was sacked as coach for the second time last year following differences with players over sharing the cash prizes and sponsorship money.

``No one has said anything to me,'' Miandad was quoted as saying by the daily The News.

Ever since Pakistan's thrashing at the hands of India and early exit from the World Cup, Miandad has been campaigning for a change of approach by the Board and the players. ``It is so depressing what is happening,'' Miandad said.

Miandad was apparently all the more disappointed by the reluctance of the senior players to quit the game owning responsibility for the dismal show and felt the Board should decide on behalf of the veterans.

— AP & PTI

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