Waqar Younis Maitla (born 16 November 1971) is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer who captained the Pakistan national cricket team. A right-arm fast bowler renowned for his ability to reverse swing the ball at high pace, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game.
Key facts
| Full name | Waqar Younis Maitla |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 November 1971 |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Honour | Hilal-i-Imtiaz (HI) |
| Bowling style | Right-arm fast |
| International career | 1989–2003 |
| Tests played | 87 |
| Test wickets | 373 |
| ODIs played | 262 |
| ODI wickets | 416 |
| Roles | Cricketer, captain, coach, commentator |
Overview
Waqar Younis represented Pakistan in international cricket between 1989 and 2003, playing 87 Test matches and 262 One Day Internationals. He took 373 wickets in Tests and 416 in ODIs. Alongside Wasim Akram, he formed one of the most feared new-ball partnerships in world cricket, with both bowlers exploiting reverse swing as a primary weapon.
He has the second best strike rate, after Dale Steyn, among bowlers with more than 350 Test wickets, and remains the youngest bowler to have taken 400 wickets in ODI cricket. He is also placed in the top ten of all time on the ICC rankings.
Playing career
Younis made his international debut in 1989. As of 2021, he holds the record for being the youngest Pakistani Test captain and the fourth youngest Test captain in the history of the game, having taken charge at the age of 22 years and 15 days.
He was part of the Pakistan squad that finished as runners-up at the 1999 Cricket World Cup. His trademark was reverse swing delivered at high speed, often producing late-swinging yorkers that became a hallmark of his bowling.
Coaching career
After retirement, Younis transitioned into coaching and broadcasting. He worked as a bowling coach with the Pakistan national team from 2006 to 2007.
On 3 March 2010, he was appointed head coach of the Pakistan cricket team. He resigned from the post on 19 August 2011, citing personal reasons.
For the 2013 season of the Indian Premier League, he joined Sunrisers Hyderabad as their bowling coach.
On 4 September 2019, the Pakistan Cricket Board appointed Younis as Pakistan's new bowling coach on a three-year contract. He replaced Azhar Mahmood, who had been removed following Pakistan's performance at the ICC World Cup 2019.
Significance
Waqar Younis is regarded as a defining figure in the development of fast bowling in Pakistan and in the wider art of reverse swing. His partnership with Wasim Akram during the late 1980s and 1990s shaped a generation of Pakistani pace bowlers and influenced fast-bowling techniques globally.
Related topics
- Wasim Akram
- Pakistan national cricket team
- Pakistan Cricket Board
- 1999 Cricket World Cup
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Reverse swing
References
- Waqar Younis – English Wikipedia
- Wikidata item: Q1766640