ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis offers to step down, apologises to fans over exit
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has offered to step down following his side's poor performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2016, while also apologising to the nation and fans for failing to meet their expectations. Speaking to the media in Lahore before having a meeting with a committee set up to look into the side's performance, Waqar also warned that cosmetic changes will not be enough to address the deeper issues plaguing Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan struggled in the ICC T20 World Cup winning just one game out of four played, losing to New Zealand, Australia and arch-rivals India in the group stages. This followed the debacle in Asia Cup, in which Pakistan failed to progress to the final, while also losing to Bangladesh.
"I apologise to the whole nation, to all of you and to all the people who were at the airport chanting against us, all the people at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) who look after us. I apologise to everyone, literally, I fold my hands and request all of you to forgive us for the way we performed; it should not have been this way. Our performance should have been better, but unfortunately that did not happen," Waqar said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.com.
"These days there is a notion being discussed to dismiss the chairman, selectors or coaches, but the point is whether the problems are really being understood. Are we really getting down to the problem in our country and mending it? Are we really correcting the system which needs to be rectified?
"So cosmetic changes will not help. This might bring you temporary relief, might make you feel that things have changed and everything is fine but I think we should think about this deeply and mark the problems. We know where the problems are and we have to open our eyes, eradicate the politics from cricket and get things right. I had mentioned these problems in 2015 and have put them up again, I hope the PCB can deal with them."
"It's time to step up and solve the problems, people have blamed me, that is not an issue. I will go home but the problem remains. If the problem is solved by sacking me, then sack me. Not tomorrow, but today. But the problem is deeper than that."
This is Waqar's second stint as Pakistan coach, after being in charge from 2010 to 2011. He had a successful time with the test side, guiding them to the second place in ICC Test Rankings before quitting his post due to a rift with then One-Day International skipper Shahid Afridi.
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