NEW DELHI: Younis Khan, Pakistan’s most prolific Test batsman and former skipper, believes that the nation’s cricket would have attained remarkable success if the late head coach, Bob Woolmer, was still alive.
Woolmer, the coach of the Pakistani team, was spotted dead in his Jamaican hotel room shortly after his team’s defeat against Ireland. The loss resulted in Pakistan’s unexpected exit from the 2007 World Cup.
Younis’ statement reflects the profound impact Woolmer had on Pakistan’s cricket during his tenure as the head coach. The untimely demise of Woolmer left a void in Pakistan’s cricketing landscape, and Younis’ words suggest that his presence could have steered the team towards greater achievements.
“I have no doubt that if Woolmer had remained head coach, Pakistan cricket would have been very different today, and he would have taken it to great heights,” Younis said.
Younis, a squad member in 2007, subtly conveyed his dissatisfaction with the insufficient backing the players received from their officials during the investigation that followed Woolmer’s passing. He felt that the authorities should have provided more assistance to the team during that challenging period.
“I was very close to Bob (Woolmer) and it was our daily routine to sit down together after a match or nets to discuss cricket. Unfortunately the night he passed away, we didn’t sit together as we had lost to Ireland.
“I was also out for a duck and was very upset with myself. So, I went to my room and locked myself in. Next day, I didn’t see him at breakfast and later we learnt about his death,” PTI quoted Younis as saying on a Pakistani TV channel.
Younis revealed that the tragic passing of Woolmer and the subsequent stress endured by the players during their time in the West Indies led him to reconsider his decision to captain Pakistan for an extended period.
Following the incident, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the government dispatched their own security personnel to the Caribbean to collaborate with the Jamaican police. The investigation ultimately concluded that Woolmer’s death was due to natural causes.
According to Younis, Woolmer had been preparing him mentally to assume the role of Pakistan’s captain across all formats following the World Cup.
“After what all happened in the World Cup, I changed my mind and I became a reluctant captain and had no long-term tenure in mind.”
Younis revealed that following Woolmer’s passing, the team was relocated to a different island. There, the local authorities interrogated them for a period of three days.
“It was like a torture for us there. While I fully understand the responsibilities a player has to show as an ambassador of his country, it should be the other way round… authorities must also look after us,” he added.
Source link : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/had-late-bob-woolmer-been-around-pakistan-cricket-would-have-younis-khan/articleshow/111934914.cms
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Publish date : 2024-07-23 14:08:32
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