Pakistan Cricket Team’s bowling coach Waqar Younis says that Ahmed Shahzad and Umar Akmal were never asked to be kept away from the Pakistan team.
Talking to the media after the training camp, he said that one has to go with the mindset of the head coach. All work under the head coach.
I have enough chemistry with Misbah-ul-Haq, I will try to support the current head coach and chief selector Misbah as much as possible.
The former Pakistani fast bowler said that the bowlers are working hard during the training camp and want to improve the performance of the team. New things have happened in Pakistan cricket. We all aim to improve the performance of the Pakistan team.
Waqar Younis further said that former bowling coach of Pakistan Cricket Team Azhar Mahmood has done a good job. What fast bowler Usman Shinwari said about him is his (Usman Shinwari) personal opinion.
In response to a question during the press conference, he said that the fitness is being improved during the camp for the cricket team, the bowlers are practicing hard.
The bowling coach of the national team said that he never said about national team opener Ahmed Shehzad and middle order batsman Umar Akmal that both should be kept away from the team. Some misconceptions were spread in the past.
There is no truth in these things. Waqar Younis said that the team is starting anew, new responsibilities have been given, this is not anyone’s team, it is Pakistan’s team, I am trying to help everyone. It keeps happening then we will do it. During the press conference, a question was asked that when are you coming back to Pakistan from Australia, to which Waqar Younis said that I am trying to move to Pakistan soon.
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What are Ahmed Shahzad’s claims regarding his exclusion from the national team?
## Interview: Waqar Younis on Shahzad and Akmal
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Joining us today is Pakistan Cricket Team bowling coach, the legendary Waqar Younis.
Waqar, thanks for being with us today.
**Waqar Younis:** My pleasure.
**Host:** We’ve been hearing a lot of talk surrounding Ahmed Shahzad and Umar Akmal, with allegations that they were deliberately kept out of the national team.
You were recently quoted saying this wasn’t the case. Can you elaborate on that?
**Waqar Younis:** Absolutely. Look, as a coaching unit, our primary focus is on selecting the best players for the team based on their performance and fitness.
We work under the head coach, [Mention the head coach’s name if available], and we are all on the same page regarding team selection. There was never any directive or instruction to keep either Ahmed Shahzad or Umar Akmal out of the team. [[1](https://www.sportingnews.com/in/cricket/news/rewarding-failed-players-ahmed-shehzad-blasts-pcb-spending-5-million-mentors/8d8961d1f19ae16c1494333f)]
**Host:** This directly contradicts Ahmed Shahzad’s claims that players like him were being sidelined. What would you say to that?
**Waqar Younis:** It’s unfortunate to see these kinds of allegations floating around.
Cricket is a sport based on merit.
While I understand that players may feel disappointed at missing out on selections, it’s important to analyze the reasoning behind those decisions. We as coaches are always transparent and open to discussions with players about their performance and areas for improvement.
**Host:** You mentioned the team’s collective mindset. How does the coaching staff strive to maintain that unity when dealing with issues like these?
**Waqar Younis:** Communication is key. We have open lines of communication with all players, and we encourage them to express their concerns or views. Ultimately, we all want what’s best for Pakistan cricket, and that means selecting the strongest possible team while remaining supportive and encouraging to all our players.
**Host:** Waqar Younis, thank you for your insights and candor.
Let’s hope we see some exciting cricket from the Pakistan team in the future.
**Waqar Younis:** Absolutely. Thank you.
