Waqar Younis Names Combined XI with Mostly Indians, Omits Pakistan Legends
When asked to draft a dream combined XI with only Indian and Pakistani players, former Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis’ comments surprised fans. During a fast-paced episode of the Shubhankar Mishra Podcast, Waqar Younis selected only one Pakistani player out of eleven, with the rest hailing from India.
Waqar Younis debuted for Pakistan in 1989 and went on to play 87 Tests and 262 One-Day Internationals, taking 373 and 416 wickets, respectively. Having played in numerous India-Pakistan matches throughout the years, he observed personally the severity of that rivalry, making his strong India-leaning decisions all the more surprising.
Which players did Waqar Younis select for the rapid-fire round?
Waqar Younis was offered head-to-head alternatives against Pakistani and Indian players in the segment. He selected Rohit Sharma over Fakhar Zaman, VVS Laxman over Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammed Shami over Mohammed Amir, Virat Kohli over Babar Azam, Rahul Dravid over Younis Khan, MS Dhoni over Javed Miandad, Sachin Tendulkar over Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Jasprit Bumrah over Shaheen Afridi.
Waqar chose opener Shahid Anwar over Virender Sehwag as the only Pakistani player in his combined XI. Eight of the nine completed choices went to Indian players as a result of that one pick, something few observers expected from one of the country’s most well-known fast bowlers and a former Pakistan captain.
Waqar Younis was also asked to choose between Pakistan’s Sameer Minhas, 20, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, an Indian batting standout. He declined to identify either, claiming that he had not seen enough of both athletes to make an objective assessment.
What else is happening in Pakistani and Indian cricket at the moment?
In terms of foreign relations, India is now touring New Zealand in a variety of ways. With two ODIs and a five-Test series to follow, Shreyas Iyer’s team has already taken a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Also Read : ECB Reportedly Prioritises IPL Commitments Over Pakistan ODI Series
Meanwhile, Pakistan is hosting a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka and England. The hosts have earned their place in the final, where they will face Sri Lanka on Saturday, after winning three consecutive matches.
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